People Put Their Holiday On Hold To See 'The Interview' At Local Theater
By Justin Finch
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) - Early reviews of "The Interview" were mostly favorable after the film's Christmas Day debut at Wilmington's Penn Cinema.
For many who attended the Christmas Day showing, the controversial film didn't need to be Oscar-worthy for them to turn out.
"I'm 72. My mother would've called that definitely a B-Movie," said Virginia Wessels. "I think I'm more against the idea that a country could try to stop Americans from putting a movie out."
Federal officials say that was the motive for hackers with ties to North Korea. The cyber attackers reportedly noted their displeasure that North Korean leader Kim Jung Un is the target of a made-up assassination plot led in the film by U.S. intelligence.
In retaliation, hackers went after Sony Pictures, the company distributing the film, and leaked sensitive data like staffers' private emails.
There were also threats of violence at theaters that choose to run the film, and that led to several, large movie chains to back out. Sony nearly pulled the film's release, until Thursday.
"I feel like, as long as we keep it in good fun and spirits and not take it too seriously, then it should be fun, and we should just have fun with it," said Ben Staw, who made time in his vacation with family to see the movie starring James Franco and Seth Rogen.
"It's a good movie. All the factors are in there," said Shan Shan, a student at Johns Hopkins University, who saw the movie with his friend, Jin Yung.
"The Interview" is also online to rent or buy and moviegoer Dave Clements said he will be seeing it again. He found the crude comedy to have a sophisticated side.
"It shows the perspective of North Korea and what their people see versus what we actually see," Clements said. "It shows the difference between propaganda and how we perceive it and how they portray it."
After talks with Sony, Penn Cinema chose to play the film; buy, with extra security provided by Wilmington Police.
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