Since its initial announcements, it received massive backlash from the North Korean government, including threats of violent reprisal. Meanwhile, a group known as the "Guardians of Peace" have subjected Sony Pictures with almost relentless cyber attacks, incuding the seizure and leak of the studio's internal documents. Eventually they buckled, and cancelled the scheduled Christmas Day release.
I am under no illusions; there's a good chance that this film will suck. It's probably juvenile, full of sex jokes, toilet humour and probably devoid of artistic merit and acting panache. That however is completely besides the point.
As President Obama reacted to the news he remarked that Sony pictures actions in this had been "a mistake".
"I wish they had spoken to me first. We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship here..."
The Commander in Chief then extrapolated on this, saying that if producers back down under this kind of external pressure, what is to stop it happening again? What will happen to satire as a comedic genre? In addition, could this lead to investigative documentaries a country or group doesn't like being denied airtime? Some commentators have suggested that there would be similar reaction if another nation mocked the president or the queen. Really? Why then, did we not do away with the likes of Black mirror, Spitting Image and The Thick of It, all of which brazenly stab at the heart of how the UK is run, how it conducts itself, and the figures who do it?
What happened here is a failure. Sony has succumbed to a temper tantrum by a country widely recognised as lunatic. North Korea are trying to bully, but in reality, they are the Yorkshire terrier of the world; barking and yapping at anybody who gets too close, but with very little to back it up. Yes, they aren't shy about attacking their neighbouring South, but they are ever under the UN's watchful eye. Allegedly they have nuclear weapons, but they would not dare use them; lest a Trident Submarine pop up, or B2 Stealth sail overhead to snuff them out. They would be the ant, and the rest of the world would become the boot.
In the grand scheme of things they are utterly powerless- despite their regular proclamations of grandeur. This is the country that only allowed its citizens to view James Cameron's Titanic in cinemas within the past couple of years. This is the only country in the world still officially ruled by a dead person (the current leader's grandfather, Kim Il-Sung).This is the country that allegedly claimed to have sent a manned mission to the sun. How is that not worthy of ridicule? Hell, most of the time the studios needn't bother, because truth is stranger than fiction and more often than not, they already make an arse of themselves without outside help. After all, that is how you truly defeat a terrorist or threatening figure; you make a joke of them.
This is not even the first time the nation has been mocked; the previous "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il having been torn to shreds in the universally irreverent Team America: World Police, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame. Presumably they received threats before and after the release of the film; but it was released.
Echoing President Obama, this cannot be allowed to become a regular occurrence. Kim Jong-Un already has control over an entire country who revere and adore him out of brainwashing or fear- are we really going to allow him to do the same to us?
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