I agree completely with you, Joe. But in the end for SONY, I think it comes down to dollars and cents. They didnt release the movie because the theaters wouldnt show it and rather than explaining their decision they simply pulled back making it appear that North Korea won.
Let me just say this first....I think somewhere some pimple faced fourteen year old hacker and his friends are having the laugh of their lives at bringing two world leaders into a face off. I would not be the least surprised to find out the ruler of North Korea heard about all this flack on CNN just like the rest of us. But lets assume we really did upset N. Korea....
I dont think the answer was continuing to push this movie in the face of North Korea. The best solution, in my opinion is having the decency to not make movies about killing live public figures in the name of entertainment. Its beyond poor taste and incites violence obviously. Once that was done and after the ensuing results, I would like to hear SONY admit their mistakes. Something along the lines of........ although we have the right in this country to say and view anything we chose, after a hard look at this situation we have decided that depicting the assasination or the attemp of one on a live human being is not a responsible thing to do and the right of free speech in our country should not be abused by disrespecting another countries leader. Therefore we have decided to rework the movie before it is released.
Not gonna happen... But hell, I can dream of a better world if I want.
I hope you get to see your movie, Joe, however this plays out. Movies are often reviewed before they are released. Into the Woods is up for Golden Globe awards and it hasnt been released yet.
The only good review The Interview got was fromIMDB who's sole purpose is to support movies.
From the Variety review...."The Interview" an "alleged satire that's about as funny as a communist food shortage, and just as protracted."
Here is a whole page of bloggers reviews
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_interview_2014/reviews/?page=2Here is the google page for the bigger name reviews
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=tablet-android-hms-tmobile-us-noonebox&source=android-browser-type&action=devloc&q=reviews+of+The+Interview&v=132172377?..