Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) **1/2

I'm not sure that the 2004 cult-classic “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle” needed a sequel, but it sure felt like it did. The gonzo original was one long, sophomoric pot-joke, a crazy adventure full of bizarre mishaps, titties, and random run-ins with Neil Patrick Harris. It was a delight, and it ended on a note that seemed to demand continuation, with the boys deciding to pursue Harold's crush (Paula Garces) to Amsterdam.

The sequel came out 4 years after the original, but it picks up the story the next day. The boys pack their bags for the trip to Amsterdam, which for Kumar means packing porn and weed. Talk about carrying coal to Newcastle! Kumar's idiocy gets the boys arrested, accused of terrorism (Al Queda and North Korea, get it?), and hauled off to Guantanamo Bay. As the title suggests, they escape, hitch a ride back to the mainland, and set off for Texas, where they hope a politically-connected classmate can help them out. Their trip across the south entails, you guessed it: bizarre mishaps, titties, and a random run-in with Neil Patrick Harris.

I pretty quickly became disgusted with myself for watching this movie. The dick jokes and jr-high humor have gotten a bit stale with the years. The relentless marijuana humor has worn out its welcome as well. There's a general feeling that directors Jon Horwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (who co-wrote the first film) are dedicated to re-creating the success of the first film at all costs. I might have been better off just re-watching “White Castle.”

Still, I wound up laughing. “Guantanamo Bay”s saving grace is that it gets better as it goes (or maybe my standards just got lower.) The second act of the film serves as a goofy, but fun celebration of American inclusiveness, showing that Rednecks, Jews, Arabs, Asians, and Indians can all be good-old Americans who want to get high and get laid.

Just as drinking 3 shots of tequila makes you feel like a 4^th shot would be a great idea, “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle” left me wanting more. I'm not sure that “Guantanamo Bay” is any better an idea than that 4^th shot, but if you loved “White Castle,” you are going to have to satisfy your curiosity and watch the sequel. Go ahead and do it, and deal with the hangover later.

2.5 stars out of 5