So, watched The Interview on Xbox video after Sony (which is a weird statement if you follow the video game world) did a surprise release of this now-infamous Seth Rogan/Dave Franco comedy across Google, YouTube, and their own streaming website (but not, weirdly enough, across Crackle or PSN).
In case you weren’t paying any attention, this is the comedy where Rogan and Franco are heading to North Korean to interview Kim Jung-Un. Franco is a vacuous celebrity interviewer so this is his chance at real journalism with a head-of-state (just like Frosty/Nixon!). But the CIA steps in and asks them to assassinate the “Great Leader”. Which didn’t make the real-world N. Korea very happy and they were saying months ago that releasing the movie would be an act of war. Then a bunch of hackers got at Sony and released a lot of embarrassing info (celebrity gossip as well as social security numbers and passwords of employees) and then threatened 9/11 style attacks on theaters if the movie was released. All of which actually sounds like the plot of a comedy itself… but no.
Anyhow, this movie has a vague smell of Spies Like Us to it which is kind of amusing – a throw-back spy comedy of sorts. And, yes, the movie is kind of amusing. I did laugh out loud at a number of spots but it wasn’t consistently hilarious or anything. It got a little flabby in the second half and ran a little long so it’s certainly not a big success in my books. Fair warning – it’s also pretty raunchy which, given the talent involved, comes as no surprise.
It’s a good looking, rather handsome movie for a Rogan/Franco comedy – nice lighting/cinematography and some good (but spare) FX work. It’s clear they spent a decent amount of money on the production which suggests a reason for Sony not take a complete wash on the movie.
I will say that N. Korea isn’t without cause in not appreciating the flick. It’s a pretty direct attack on their dictatorship and makes Kim Jung-Un out to be a bit of a buffoon (though a clever one as it happens). Given how the movie ends, it wound up making a remarkably serious statement for a goofy comedy where someone sticks a payload fired from a drone up his butt.
I’m glad I saw the movie… I would have seen it anyway but the circumstances makes it slightly more cool. And kudos to Sony for releasing it considering the hackers might have a lot of additional unreleased info to share. Should you see it?? Not unless you were going to see it anyway. I don’t think it’s good enough that it’s worth taking a 2 hour stand to defend your freedom or whatever the movie could theoretically represent. It’s a good, enjoyable movie that’s one of the better comedies but certainly not circling the peak of the best.
Score: 81