Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)

6.5R102 minDirector: Jon Hurwitz

2008 film by Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is a 2008 American buddy stoner comedy film written and directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. The sequel to Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), is the second installment in the Harold & Kumar franchise, and stars John Cho, Kal Penn, Rob Corddry, Roger Bart, and Neil Patrick Harris. The film follows Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) as their planned trip to Amsterdam is derailed after being wrongly imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Originally considered a direct-to-video release, Hurwitz and Schlossberg signed on for the film by January 2007, with Cho, Penn, and Harris returning soon after. Principal photography also began that month and concluded in March 2007, with filming locations including Shreveport and Amsterdam. Prior to release, the film faced backlash for its comedic portrayal of Guantanamo Bay, with Amnesty International mounting a campaign to highlight the testimonies of abuse and torture made by the camp's detainees.

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay was theatrically released in the U.S. on April 25, 2008, by Warner Bros. Pictures, the first New Line Cinema title released after the studio's transition by Warner Bros. The film received mixed critical reception, with praise for the performances of Cho, Penn, and Harris, although some found it inferior to its predecessor. Conversely, the film was better received by audiences, and has gained a cult following. It was also a commercial success, grossing over $43 million worldwide. The sequel, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, was released internationally in November 2011.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay about?
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) — The morning they return from their White Castle road trip, Harold and Kumar decide to go to Amsterdam because Harold doesn't want to wait ten days to see Maria again. On the plane, Kumar lights up his new bong, the air marshals think it's a bomb, and Harold and Kumar are arrested
Is Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.