Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay

There was little surprise when Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle tanked at the box office. But like a lot of theatrical failures over the years, the film thrived at home, quickly finding a cult audience via DVD and TV that went pretty mainstream (TBS, "muthafudgers!”). It was thanks in part to the effort put into making the DVD something special: the hilarious voiceover menu, the surplus of commentaries and a great backseat interview with "Roldy” (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn). This trend seems to have caught on with the sequel as well. Though Escape From Guantanamo Bay did better in theatres, it’s a predictably inferior follow-up that works more on DVD. Sadly, the film feels like the first one decided to bulk up on anabolic Viagra, with endless racial stereotyping jokes that find our heroes locked up and escaping from G-Bay. It generally feels way too overblown and gratuitous, much like the nudity, the completely unnecessary masturbatory release at the beginning, and something they call "cock sandwiches,” which gets new life in the extras. All this moaning sounds like I’m surprised but I’m not, just disappointed that the script chose easy and dumb over witty and provocative, which the first one was. Thankfully, they still have Neil Patrick Harris, who again steals the show with his brash demeanour and penchant for mixing shrooms and "whores.” The extras almost save this film, as the stars return for another candid and amusing commentary, especially when they start questioning who William Hurt is. Better though is the  "Dude, Change the Movie!” function, which works as a "Choose Your Own Adventure” option, allowing you to change their destiny and the film entirely. Saying no to the bong on the plane takes them to Amsterdam, where Harold takes shrooms, goes on a hilarious trip and drinks a phone. The cockmeat sandwich returns after deciding that they shouldn’t escape, and yes, another car sing-along, this time with NPH singing Sophie B. Hawkins’ timeless "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover.” The deleted scenes and outtakes are mixed, but best of all is a sidesplitting, histrionic reaction to NPH’s death. Oops! Plus: commentary, featurette.