6/10
In 1999, American Pie had its main character
violate a warm apple pie. In 2003, Billy
Bob Thornton portrayed the most offensive, self-destructive, and felonious
Santa anyone has ever imagined. Now,
attempting to grab the mantle of the most provoking and/or distasteful movie
ever is A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. There are topless angels hanging out with
Jesus, naked, lesbian nuns lathering each other in the shower, and a baby who
imbibes so many illegal substances it will probably will not sober up for the
next decade.
The 3D in the title is a gimmick. It is not subtle and it is not there to
emphasize action sequences or dazzle the audience with its spatial abilities. It is there to assault the audience. One character, while obviously hawking a
brand name mentioned 3D television set and all of its revolutionary gee-whiz
characteristics, points at the audience to remind them early on that “You are
watching this in 3D!” Harold (John Cho)
wonders aloud if the whole 3D shtick is already passé. The movie responds to that quickly with a
scene designed to astonish the audience and make them feel better about the
extra dough they just spent to rent their 3D glasses. Eggs are thrown in slow motion, someone pees
on a windshield, a more solid form of fecal matter is splashed across the side
of a vehicle, and to achieve the bodily fluid trifecta, a 3D ejaculation
sequence finds its way towards the audience.
Plot is secondary to the 3D onslaught. Once again, Harold and Kumar (Kal Penn) find
themselves on a specific mission; this time it is to replace a Christmas tree
to appease an angry father-in-law (Danny Trejo). The vast majority of the film keeps that
particular plot line in the background so it may focus on more immediate
sub-plots and situations to incorporate more 3D wizardry. There are Russian gangsters, Santa Claus
himself, and yes, Neil Patrick Harris as Neil Patrick Harris.
Even though there is a constant barrage of every substance
imaginable being hurled at the audience in the third dimension, it is usually
effective. Kumar, still getting by in
life with his preferred herb, blows smoke at the camera which produces a very
interesting effect in 3D. Harold and
Kumar also have more depth to their characters than Cheech and Chong do. They significantly expand on that stale one
joke theme of being high all the time mainly because the situations they find
themselves in are much more life threatening and outrageous.
The situations do not always work though. There is an unfortunate claymation episode
and a ridiculous musical ensemble which is only there to showcase Neil Patrick
Harris. However, the humor, the shocking
set-ups and pay-offs the character relentlessly dodge, and the overall extreme
and foulness of the whole mess frequently work.
I slightly recommend this film even though I recognize Harold and Kumar
are not making fun of 3D or commenting socially on it; they are cashing in on
it. Look past the gimmick, and you will
find the next film to wear the badge of most extreme comedy; at least until the
next disgusting comedy rolls out to take its place in the next year or
two.
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