Early Reader Review: A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas 3D

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

The third, and presumably final, installment in the HAROLD AND KUMAR franchise, A VERY HAROLD AND KUMAR CHRISTMAS 3D doesn’t hit theaters until this holiday season and we still don’t have any official posters, images or trailers from the film, but Warner Bros. has been testing the film and a lucky JoBlo.com reader was able to catch an early cut of the film.

Said reader is a big fan of the franchise and says the original HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE is one of his favorite modern day comedies. But doesn’t that translate into enjoyment over a new installment?

There are some mild spoilers below but none of the big gags are given away. (Also to note: all of the images used below are from previous films as no images are available for this film yet.)

Reminder: This review was set in by a JoBlo.com reader and was not written by a staff member nor should it reflect the opinions of our site.

************

PLOT: Harold and Kumar are now ex best friends with Harold ending up in perfect, quite suburbia and Kumar literally in the dumps. They reunite for a Christmas extravaganza and some laughs occur!

REVIEW: The Dude. Spicolli. Anyone in Dazed and Confused. Stoners are now a very a typical character in American films. I would not go as far as to call them the new gunslinger but there seem to be so many nowadays, it feels odd The names I left off were Harold and Kumar two classic characters fighting their way to White Castles and escaping prison have reunited for another go around this time sharing a piece with Santa.

The premise of the movie is the classic duo of Harold and Kumar have split up. Kumar is on his own, kicked out of med school and living in a god-awful apartment with a new youthful neighbor named Adrian who rents out Kumar’s restroom to the homeless.

So, on Christmas Eve Kumar gets a package sent in the mail for his incredibly well off EX-best friend Harold. That’s right. The duo have broken up and not talked since. The two meet and hilarity ensues ranging from sex-crazed mobster daughters, drug fueled babies, a hilarious reference to a Christmas Story and a accidental drive by shooting. In the end everyone comes out better people. The end. So not much for story, but as long as its funny right?

Not really. The gags and insults are okay. Not really new, but nothing super tread on. You can’t help but feel the jokes are hollow. Nothing. Nothing racial like the first or even political like the 2nd.

Even Harold and Kumar are lackluster. They work well but you can’t help but feel that both have a look saying “Why are we here?” So they got a bunch of lame stupid jokes, a 1/3rd of which involve 3D effects but that’s for later, being provided by a not so special cast. Weird thing is the cast is good and has been proven, so what’s the deal?

One example? I feel like Tom Lennon was really under utilized. He is a comedic actor with great timing and awesome deadpan but in the movie he’s like any Tim Allen dumb father character. Why have him if you just lock him away for most of the movie?

And the baby jokes were so awful I doubt babies would find it funny. The baby stuff was such awful filler material and you could tell.
It seems like you have to be on something during the movie in order to find it funny. Say what you want about the others but they are funny regardless, and that’s not good for this.

Now for the big hole of the movie. I HATED Amir Blumenfield. I’m not sorry and I had to say it. On a personal level I love him on CollegeHumor.com and his PRANK WAR was simply genius. He’s a funny guy and don’t get me wrong, he’s funny in the movie but annoying and a mean little irritating character that you hate!

I was perplexed because every time he came on screen I hoped it was a short one. But that’s it! He’s only good in small doses, like say… INTERNET VIDEOS.

The actor was lame and the character was annoying. He was either completely miscast or maybe even unneeded. Off the top of my head give Kumar a Wilson castaway like character. With that beard in the beginning it would work. Hey, may be old but I would have felt less dirty for those jokes.

Finally one thing I just didn’t get was the 3D… Wow! I honestly felt like I was on a stupid roller coaster or theme park ride. In my defense when it comes to 3D…I liked Piranha, so not a snob it just wasn’t funny or worth it in any way.

The movie felt forced and was disappointing. For these kinds of movies you have to try and see it for what it is. And If I do that with this it seems its a shallow attempt to squeeze what little they could out of a franchise. It came off to me as the mandatory Christmas episode in any television show.

The story of the friends break up is nothing new. Also, the beer pong jokes, the youthful kids, and Blumenfield make this come off like no one who made this have any idea about this stuff. As if they had heard about it, then just tossed it in there for the young kids. So disappointing to say the least.

Me myself? I love Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle and its one of my favorites. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay…*cough cough* It was okay. This one was… meh? The 1st movie was stupid but with good intentions, or in other words genuine. This felt fake. “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us!” Especially when it comes to Harold and Kumar.

RATING: 4/10