By now, you’ve all heard of The Interview, the North Korean-centered comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. Their characters, Dave Skylark and Aaron Rapoporton, are recruited by the CIA to go on an assassination mission to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. It was pulled from theaters after the Sony hack (which revealed a lot of behind-the-scenes scandals and controversies) and threats against locations that screened the movie. The FBI confirmed that North Korea, was in fact, responsible for the hack. They denied having anything to do with the hack and even offered to help find the perpetrators. Jump forward a couple of days and North Korea threatens to attack The White House, Pentagon and the whole U.S. mainland through their state-run news agency. That’s not really helping their case now.
“The army and people of the DPRK are fully ready to stand in confrontation with the U.S. in all war spaces including cyber warfare space to blow up those citadels… Our toughest counteraction will be boldly taken against the White House, the Pentagon and the whole U.S. mainland, the cesspool of terrorism, by far surpassing the ‘symmetric counteraction’ declared by Obama… This stand is taken by the DPRK because the movie ‘The Interview’ is an undesirable and reactionary one justifying and inciting terrorism which should not be allowed in any country and any region
Don’t care? Now you do. Didn’t plan on watching the movie? Now you want to. Hate James Franco and/or Seth Rogen? You don’t care now because you want to see this controversial film! It’s rounded up so many fans without even being released, that it’s gathered a 9.9 rating on IMDb from 26,040 users and counting.
Although Sony cancelled its December 25th release, it only gives people the urge to get a piece of that forbidden fruit. It had the whole world talking about it, even from President Obama himself, who called Sony’s decision “a mistake.” You have to agree with the man. Having to censor our own media because a dictator found it offensive? Many agree that Sony should not have given in and released it anyway. However, that’s up for debate whether you agree or not. The full video on Obama’s two cents below.
The solution is for Sony to release the film online, either as a torrent (keep dreaming) or Netflix/Crackle. Whether it’s a masterpiece or a complete pile of sh**, the people want the movie, one way or another. The worst thing about it though, is a country willing to risk such backlash and even war over a satirical film is downright ridiculous. Another thing to point out was Paramount’s decision to not allow Team America: World Police to be shown in theaters instead of The Interview. North Korea definitely didn’t give it its all when that film was released. Maybe we should fly a jet and drop some Snickers bars over NK headquarters and settle the quarrel once and for all.
