OVER-HYPED? Here's What the Internet Thinks Of 'The Interview' Movie

'The Interview' has been in the news for weeks. It has led to Sony Pictures' network being hacked. It has led to a big diplomatic row between the USA and North Korea with leaders of both countries trading words and its release was delayed for several days. It was finally released on Christmas day and was downloaded 750,000 times via torrents in the first 20 hours.

Various reviews have been going round the internet with many saying the movie did not live up to the hype it got. Below are some of what the internet thinks about The Interview.

• Blu-ray.com: This "isn't a dangerous movie," but rather "a silly one" -- while it does its best to relax you, it "deserves a sharper edge of satire" that jabs both the media's hollowness and North Korea.
• IGN: The movie is "often childish" and isn't going to stand out as one of the "shrewdest political satires" you've ever seen, but it's "chuckle-worthy" if you like Rogen movies such as This Is The End.
• The Verge: This is a classic "emperor-has-no-clothes situation," Emily Yoshida says; the movie just wasn't going to live up to the hype. It's bad enough to be "self-parody," and both the Asian and women characters are one-dimensional. You're not doing much to promote free speech by watching.
• Time: You shouldn't expect "cogent political satire" from this "hit-or-miss" flick, but it's ironic that North Korea doesn't like the movie -- the most complex and sympathy-inducing character is ruler Kim Jong-un, who switches between "charm and menace."
• The Mary Sue: The movie leans too much on its premise for the humor. It's admirable if you watch The Interview "on principle," but it's "only occasionally funny" and doesn't do much to comment on the CIA, the media or North Korea.
• Rolling Stone: Peter Travers finds that the movie is "killer funny," and that you "can't help rooting for it" even when the jokes don't work. With that said, he doesn't think that The Interview (or any political satire, for that matter) can "carry the burden" of championing free speech.
• Variety: Don't expect kind words from Variety contributor Scott Foundas. He calls it a "terror attack" on anyone who isn't a fan of toilet humor, and it feels like an underdeveloped concept.
• Wall Street Journal: The movie falls apart after the opening scene. While it makes fun of Hollywood's vacuous productions, it reflects a "dumbing-down" in American culture that turns a potential satire into "sour buffoonery."