The Interview - Review

Coming hot into the Oscar season, we will be graced with such films as ‘Selma’, ‘Wild’, ‘Birdman’ and the ‘Imitation Game’. However amongst the few comes word of protest and in some eyes a notion of ignorance… Thus sparking the arrival of ‘The Interview’.

Seth Rogen and James Franco’s ‘The Interview’ has been the tale of the town, sweeping news feeds around the world, and heavily in the United States. The film is a mock of an assassination attempt on North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un. The main synopsis of this film was enough to start an outrage from North Korea themselves, starting a spiraling loop of cyber attacks against it’s publisher ‘Sony’. Although North Korea has not been proven as the main culprit of the attacks, it is clear that they have the intentions to do so.

The film gained high appraisal through IMDB reviews starting with a record 9.9 rating, of course before the film was even released. Thus due to protest, protest over terrorist threats from the cyber warriors that if the USA indeed screened it on Christmas day, that the consequences would resemble that of 9/11.

With the threats being made clear, Sony decided to pull the film from cinemas, and instead releasing it via YouTube, Google and ITunes as a swift Xmas present for all at the small price of $6.99 – these days, in my opinion that is a bargain for a newly released film!

Now the clever thing here is that, by not releasing the film and all the hype that was built around it, made movie goers and Patriotic Americans more inclined to see it, cause ya’ know, they love their ‘Freedom’ – ‘Murica!

The film itself is racist, ignorant, and down right HILARIOUS! It is exactly what you would expect from Rogen and Franco, and they deliver. They present a film that dives into a comedy genre hindering on deeper political issues, knowing that North Korea wouldn’t show it, they cared not for it’s ‘leader’. It was a cry out for the people of North Korea to push fun at the beliefs that they hold towards a leader that has built governance through a web of ridiculous lies.

The film is steady and runs at a good pace, filled full of crude jokes and sexual themes. There is the right amount spunk and flare mixed with a little profane materialism. So if you want to STICK IT TO THE MAN and protest your freedom of viewing and expression through film, by supporting the right to express ideas through the arts, while having an extraordinary laugh, then I suggest streaming this film at pace.

All in all the film is funny and exactly what you would expect, a great laugh over the holiday period. Maybe attempt to watch the film in a merry mood just as jolly old Rogen expect you too.

I give this film a solid 7/10

Reviewed by Mase Shaw - Follow Mase on Twitter@MaseShaw