The Internet's Reactions To 'The Interview'
Patriotism, pastings and pirates galore
After an exhausting back-and-forth of limiting, then cancelling, then re-limiting the release of ubiquitous film The Interview, Sony Pictures' much-touted, highly controversial political comedy about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been officially made available online, becoming all the internet wants to talk about in the process.
So, what's being said?
piracy is rampant, but that's kind of sony's fault
According to Variety, shortly after The Interview's release via Google Play, YouTube Movies, Xbox Video and the film's website, high-quality copies of the film started appearing on popular torrenting hubs and, within a few hours, it had been downloaded more than 900,000 times.
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However, as some commentators — such as triple j reviewer and SBS 2 host Marc Fennell — have been quick to point out, by making the film's digital release a US-only concern, Sony has all but invited non-American fans of Seth Rogen and James Franco's work to take the surreptitious route to see the film because why wouldn't they?
Tonnes of torrents for #TheInterview after its stupidly US-Only online release. Seriously, when will these idiots learn. @SonyPictures
— Marc Fennell (@marcfennell) December 24, 2014
Apparently, "The Interview" is not available online in the UK. Counting the minutes until the pirates have their way.
— Jim Tyre (@TyreJim) December 24, 2014
If @SonyPictures made The Interview downloadable to everyone not just the U.S they could have reduced the damage to their sales
— Groovy Glen (@Groovy_Glen) December 26, 2014
.@marcfennell is right. Sony can never ever complain about piracy again, after failing to release The Interview worldwide on the web
— Rhett Bartlett (@dialmformovies) December 25, 2014
You can only watch The Interview legitimately if you pay with a US credit card & watch using a US IP address. Because Sony understand piracy
— Mathew Purser (@FaintOfMatts) December 25, 2014
The Interview rental site serves up non-DRM MP4. Such a fuss over piracy, and they don't even try.
— Kos (@theKos) December 25, 2014
it could be anything from brilliant to terrible
When the term "mixed reviews" was invented, it was pre-emptively referring to this movie. Twitter, so far, has offered up everything from glowing, patriotically soaked praise to middling tolerance to outright revulsion:
Wow #TheInterview was horrible. The Koreans were actually trying to save us from that awfulness.
— Xerø (@Ecksearoh) December 24, 2014
We just finished watching The Interview. Here's our very scientific breakdown of the movie http://t.co/srxORZ9v0U pic.twitter.com/iSrIAKWIYp
— GuardianUS (@GuardianUS) December 24, 2014
Wanna know the best thing about #TheInterview ? It has grown-up Annyong from Arrested Development. pic.twitter.com/LU3igvf0GE
— Marc Fennell (@marcfennell) December 25, 2014
If you haven't seen the interview yet, you're really missing out on a franco/rogen duo that could be better than the parker/stone duo
— Hassan A. Joseph (@h_snap) December 26, 2014
real life I am watching the news if you bring a copy of the Constitution to the new movie The Interview, you get free popcorn. #AMERICA
— natalie dewey (@deweynat) December 26, 2014
If Kim Jong Un has actually seen The Interview, he's probably real unhappy.
— Ben Lyvers (@benjoe11) December 26, 2014
I literally can't even imagine what it's like to want to see The Interview.
— Clint Wells (@ClintWells) December 26, 2014
The Interview was a great movie. Kinda feel like I was a part of history by watching it :)
— Hanzeus (@_Hanza) December 26, 2014
The Interview was a hilarious movie and best part was Seth Rogen was actually kind of funny for once
— Alex Stanfill (@AlexStanfill97) December 26, 2014
Bonus points to this guy, who apparently has an eye for the less-appreciated things in life:
The Interview has been debated from every angle imaginable but I see very few people mentioning that it was undeniably gorgeously shot.
— Scott (@scott325) December 26, 2014
best marketing ever?
An increasing chorus of voices online have reacted to the movie in an entirely different way - with sheer disaffected cynicism, laid bare by their 140-character ruminations on the fact that the entire furore was obviously just orchestrated by Sony in an attempt to get people to care about the movie in the first place.
It's an unlikely scenario, given that the full damage to Sony Pictures' reputation — and that of its high-ranking employees — as a result of the leak, not just over the cancellation of the film but the snarky content of their published emails, has not even close to repaired itself, and it seems a bit like burning down the house just to make a toasted sandwich, by comparison.
Still, the truth is out there...:
We were all punked by @SonyPictures . #TheInterview would have made nothing. Will now make $100m. Terrible movie. Watch #TeamAmerica instead
— Jonathan Hunt (@JonathanHuntFNC) December 25, 2014
"@MostWowFacts: The Interview played in theaters throughout the U.S. today, long live freedom of speech." long live publicity stunts
— Dr. John Gillis (@johnmgillis) December 26, 2014
after seeing the interview, I am convinced, more than ever, that the hack was an incredibly well engineered PR ploy
— big L (@elliediablo) December 26, 2014
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