Was it a case of namby-pamby Sony executives genuinely scared that a hermit kingdom that can’t even keep its lights on in the evening is going to inflict some great carnage on America’s movie theaters?
Or was it a case of marketing genius to take advantage of a crisis to generate hype about a movie that was going to flop anyway?
Having watched the “red band” trailer for “The Interview”, I’m inclined to think it was more of a ethically challenged opportunity not to let a crisis go to waste by the hacks at Sony.
Obviously, it’s not safe for work. They seem to think they can make up for a lack of writing creativity with the rapid and promiscuous use of the “eff” word and frat-boy humor. They throw in more gratuitous f-bombs than Obama stutters “uh” when he’s not on the TelePrompTer.
I bet Sony agreed not to release the movie and in return the DPRK agreed not to release some very damaging emails or other information. Even more damaging than what’s already been released. No way they stop the release of that movie for anything else.
I find it rather interesting timing for North Korea to be implicated in hacking Sony as the latest net lockdown laws are stalled and Obama is trying to reclassify the internet as a public utility so the FCC can have its hands on more control. Not going full blown conspiracy theory but… it is an interesting coincidence and would not be without precedents if it were more than such.