A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (2011) – Film Review

Six years after escaping Guantanamo Bay, stoners Harold and Kumar cause havoc at Christmas in A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas.

Well let’s get right to the point, this is a stoner film and if you aren’t a stoner it’s unlikely you’ll enjoy it. In fact it’s unlikely many stoners will enjoy it either.

It does have its moments, but it is just too much of a stoner movie to be of much use to anyone, which is ironic considering the main characters, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) also aren’t of much use to anyone in the movie either.

Don’t get us wrong – we don’t have anything against stoner movies in general. Bio-Dome, California Man and Dude, Where’s My Car? were fantastic films, OK, maybe not fantastic but they did a good job at ensuring people who weren’t about to suffer the munchies could also enjoy the comedy. This film however shows that the Harold and Kumar storyline has certainly run its course.

There are some occasional funny moments and Neil Patrick Harris reprises his cameo with mediocre effect, but the real added bonus to the show is Danny Trejo. Playing Harold’s father in law, there is something genuinely amusing about a man, who we’ve watched kill countless people on screen, wearing a Christmas jumper.

Despite a few saving graces, in the shape of damp one-liners and obvious and over-the-top 3D that surprisingly enhances the comedy a little, this film uses a formula that’s no longer creating the comedy chemistry it used to, so you really won’t miss out if you don’t ever watch it.