Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (R, 2008)

common sense media says

Stoner social satire is rude, crude, and funny.


parents & educators say
  • 50% say sexual content is an issue
  • 33% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that plenty of teens will want to see this marijuana-centric sequel, which goes out of its way to push buttons -- and that the filmmakers don't really worry about when to say when. Expect constant marijuana use, strong language (including "f--k," "p---y," and many more), broadly comic violence, and sexual content -- including both male and female nudity (topless and bottomless). That said, behind all the joking and the toking, there are some nice messages about real friendship, as well as some interesting observations about the racial and ethnic profiling that's taken place since 9-11 and the dangers of excessive law enforcement in the name of safety.

Positive messages: Extensive discussion of racism, stereotypes, and government policy; a characteer literally uses the Bill of Rights as toilet paper. Some government officials are seen as idiotic, petty fascists (with counterpoint from smarter, more reasonable government officials). Harold and Kumar (and their parents) are subjected to racist insults. Harold and Kumar stumble across a Ku Klux Klan meeting. A government agent taunts ethnic and religious groups with stereotypical objects of desire (grape soda for an African-American character; a bag of small change for two Jewish characters) in an effort to get them to talk; this, however, doesn't work and is depicted as the act of an idiot. From one woman's point of view, Kumar is seen in the beard and robes of a stereotypical Islamic fundamentalist (which, by turn, implies that she believes he's a terrorist). An actor depicting the president is seen drinking and doing drugs. A fair amount of toilet humor. On the plus side, the film's cast is diverse, and Harold and Kumar have a strong friendship.
Violence: Plenty, but mostly intended for comic effect. Fatal electrocution by an electric fence; characters are held at gunpoint; fistfights and scuffles (including knees to the groin); one supporting character is shot with a shotgun, twice; a deer is shot, with blood spatter and a knife blow to finish the job; a prostitute is literally branded. Mace is used.
Sex: Topless and bottomless nudity, both rear and front, and both male and female; same-sex make-out sessions for comedic effect; prisoners are forced to provide guards with oral sex; characters visit a brothel; simulated masturbation and ejaculation; references to incest; discussion of sexual techniques and positions; characters kiss; fantasy sequence includes visions of a "threesome" between a man, a woman, and a huge anthropomorphic (and anatomically correct) bag of marijuana.
Language: Constant, inventive vulgar language, including "f--k," "motherf---er," "s--t," "dick," "p---y," "a--holes," "douchebag," "boner," "whore," "c--k," and several racial epithets (both in dialogue and soundtrack lyrics).
Consumerism: A few brands are mentioned -- TiVo, Nokia, Coors Light, Mustang, Zoloft.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Constant references to "getting high" and "smoking weed," with extensive on-screen marijuana use. Also lots of discussion of marijuana paraphernalia and the war on drugs. One character's marijuana is laced with cocaine; a character takes psychedelic mushrooms while driving. Characters also drink beer and hard liquor (one drinks while driving). One character disapproves of another's marijuana use to counter stress, suggesting Zoloft as an alternative.

More on Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the movie's messages about drugs and drug use. Do you think the movie is an accurate depiction of social attitudes about marijuana? Why or why not? Does it address any of the consequences of drug use? As a comedy, is it expected to? Families can also discuss the racial and ethnic profiling that Harold and Kumar are subjected to. Do you think that happens in everyday life? How does the media undermine and/or reinforce those kinds of assumptions and stereotypes?

What's the story?

What's the story?
After their successful search for snacks in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Kumar (Kal Penn) and Harold (John Cho) plan a trip to Amsterdam to follow Harold's crush, Maria (Paula Garces), and enjoy marijuana in a legal setting. But when Kumar's bong is mistaken for a bomb on the plane, the two wind up taking a very different trip to a very different destination -- Guantanamo Bay. Once they escape, they must make it to Texas, clear their names, stop Kumar's long-lost love from marrying the wrong man, survive the wild partying of rogue actor Neil Patrick Harris (as himself), and get back to New Jersey safely so they can make it to Amsterdam and reunite Harold and Maria. In short, it's kind of like The Odyssey, only with weed smoking, toilet humor, and gratuitous nudity.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY is an acceptable follow-up to the first film. The jokes aren't quite as consistent as in the original, but Penn and Cho still make for a charming, easy-to-watch odd couple with great timing and real warmth between them. They even wind up making a side trip to Crawford, Tex., where they meet President Bush (played by professional Bush imitator James Adomian), who's depicted as a good guy who likes to unwind with a little weed; when Kumar notes that he doesn't quite trust the government after all he's been through, the president offers: "You don't have to believe in your government to be a good citizen; you just have to believe in your country."

Of course, this pearl of wisdom is spoken through a cloud of exhaled marijuana smoke, but still. And while Harold and Kumar take many side trips in their journey back to safety -- dodging blind justice as personified by Rob Corddry's idiotic special agent as they go -- they're motivated by more than just their affection for weed and the hunt for a good time; they truly care about each other, and they believe in real love. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay doesn't have the divinely inspired vulgarity of, say, Blazing Saddles, but it throws out so many jokes so fast, with such gleeful dimwit glee, that it's hard to not find something amusing in it.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Screen Gems
Director: Hayden Schlossberg, Jon Hurwitz
Cast: John Cho, Kal Penn, Rob Corddry
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 102 minutes
Theatrical release: April 24, 2008
DVD release: July 28, 2008
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language and drug use.
Watch our review

This review was written by James Rocchi
 
 

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What parents & educators say

16
Based on 6 parent & educator reviews:
  • 50% say sexual content is an issue
  • 33% say language is an issue
  • 33% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

Most useful reviews by all members

Scream
kid, 12 years old
 
not for tods, tweens, teens, or anyone without a sense of humor
Rated R comedy would get an NC-17 for a drama. Still a great, funny movie, though. Explicit language, persuasive sexuality and nudity, and some bloody violence and drug use still gives it a 4 star.

Fridaythe13th
teen, 16 years old
 
Perfect for Teens
It was great movie. Tho the party part was over the top, very inappropriate. It is not recommend for young children to see! Beware Parents! A good teen movie, tho

4Spice
adult
 
very funny teens and adults only
very funny truth os it has some nudity 16 and over or mature 15

movielover123
parent of 13 year old
 
ok for teens{should be older teens or mature teens}
wow this movie was so vulgar. extremely funny but realy bad

Sanjay407
kid, 13 years old
 
Read
Rated R: A scene of a little gore, Strong sexual content, Strong and crude language, and plenty of drug use

PTV
teen, 14 years old
 
FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thomasman123
teen, 14 years old
 
harold and kumar are frickin amazin'
the second movie in the harold and kumar francise is funny, crude, and inapppropriate. but i love it! there is langugae blodd drugs alchoal the whole works but you definatlly want to see this movie

antoineisthebest
teen, 15 years old
 
Everybody and up
I lved it everybody is allowed to see the bottomless party we see a lot of vagina

Albus Severus
teen, 13 years old
 
Funny for older teens
I watched this film not expecting it to be so graphic. This film is hilarious but strong on nudity, drugs and swearing. For some one under 15 you may want to fast forward the no pants party. The part with the prisoner guards is also pretty gross. I think this one is better than Harold and Kumar go to white castle although it is more explicit.

chow13
adult
 
Not as good as the first,but good for laughs
Still funny, but not as good as the first one

bradley4846
teen, 17 years old
 
Not as great as the first
this and the first are completly different movies. This had some laughs, but not to many. it was fun to see the characters again. They pushed to hard with the nudity this time with the topless girls and then later bottomless guys and girls. And a ton of humor. the language was worse

sweetie1025
teen, 16 years old
 
This is not a good movie, too much nudity
I didn't watch this movie all the way through, but this is not an appropriate movie for anyone. There is a lot of nudity, if you want to watch a Harold and Kumar, watch Escape to White Castle.

zacharysm148
teen, 14 years old
 
Yeah it's extremely funny but kids shouldn't see it. Violence: shows a prostitute being branded, someone gets electrocuted, pepper spray, somebody gets shot and not to mention references to terrorism. Sex: It shows full frontal male & female nudity and shows a man ejaculating, they visit a brothel, the inmates have to perform oral on the guards and they call it a "c--kmeat sandwich". Language: S**t, P*ss, F**k, C--k, Motherf**ker, A**, P***y, T*ts, D*ck & B*tch are all used several times. Drugs: Uses of marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms are all used, shows joints and bhangs (one on a plane), passengers think a man is saying bomb when he is really saying bhang, shows a man having a threesome with a life-size bag of pot, characters use drugs and drink alcohol while driving, mentions a prescription drug Zoloft which i think is a birth control pill. Overall even though it's funny it's very innapropriate especially for kids.

peanutbuttergurl6
teen, 17 years old
 
whoa nudity!
i watched the unrated version too and said wtf! all that nakedness and cxursing.ma mom walked in and said to turn that crap off. almost got in trouble. i bet its funny too. i could write more but i didnt see all of it

benbrm
kid, 12 years old
 
NOT FOR KIDS !!!
I watched this in my room. It was the unrated extended(I could of watched rated but I wanted extended). They say the F word at least 150 times (in the unrated). There is lots of sex(full frontal of both genders,same sex makeouts, the prisoners are forced to give oral sex to the guards at guantanamo bay.Drugs, (they fall in george W. Bushes house and smoke weed with him, they bring weed on a plane to smoke in amsterdam. but overall this is an AWESOME MOVE!

junktrucka210
teen, 14 years old
 
If you've seen the first one...
This movie is the sequel to Harold and Kumar go to White Castle and if your child has seen the first one then it should see this one. This one is more raunchy but it is very smart and teaches a good lesson about racism.

 
Great night for us teens without parents...
My friend and i decided to see this movie and her parents decided to see it too. I felt like it was a freaking hilarious movie even though it was very vulgar and raunchy. My friend on the other hand couldn't wait to get out of there because she knew her parents would not approve. my advice...see this movie without your parents.

loots
adult
 
boring
This was one of the most boring, and stupid movies I've seen in a long time. I left when it became utterly disgusting. There were no laughs and I had to wonder who in the world would want to watch it through.

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