It may not be the first film series that jumps to mind whenever somebody mentions a holiday movie, but I was nevertheless ecstatic when A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas was first announced. Ever since John Cho and Kal Penn brought their stoner personas to the big screen searching for White Castle burgers in 2004, they found themselves spawning a comedy franchise with very loyal fans. Besides its title characters, the Harold & Kumar series is perhaps best known for revealing an edgier side of Neil Patrick Harris that many consider legen-…wait for it…-dary! Now, any of my normal readers are well-aware of my opinion concerning 3D films, but trailers for 3D Christmas seemed to indicate that the filmmakers were very aware of this potential shortcoming, and would go out of their way to make sure the extra ticket cost for those glasses would be well worth it. Needless to say, having seen and loved both previous entries in the Harold & Kumar series, I couldn’t wait for 3D Christmas, since it would not only make me laugh but had the potential to get me into the holiday spirit.
Given my high hopes for 3D Christmas, I worried that all of my built up anticipation would only lead to disappointment…luckily, this third film in the Harold & Kumar series is easily the best and funniest of the three. John Cho and Kal Penn make their return to the screen in a glorious fashion, blending crude, clever, and outrageous humor that will have you falling out of your seat laughing, and then quoting the film for weeks afterwards. As expected, Neil Patrick Harris’ inclusion only heightened quality and reinforced the justification for his widespread popularity, and my only real criticism for the film is that he simply is not in every scene. From a 3D perspective, this holiday film may be the single greatest showcase of the technology to date, with so many objects from eggs to Christmas trees flying off-screen in a stylish fashion that it sends the overall levels of energy through the roof. Smart, sweet, funny, and surprisingly festive, whether you believe me or not, the reality is that A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is not only an excellent comedy, but it also may be one of the best holiday films to get you into the X-mas spirit out there.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
