Movies Reviews

‘The Interview’ Is Bad – But In A Good Way

BRISBANE, Australia – After months of controversy, The Interview has finally been released to the public and I’ll say the wait was worth it.
For those who‘ve been living under a rock and have no idea what the movie is about, The Interview focuses on Dave Skylark, played by James Franco, and producer Aaron Rapoport, played by Seth Rogan, who land an interview for their celebrity tabloid show “Skylark Tonight” with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.
When the CIA finds out about their upcoming visit to Pyongyang to complete the interview, they recruit Skylark and Rapoport to assassinate the dictator
instead.
Before I get into the specifics, I want to state that this film is supposed to be bad. I’ve read a lot of comments from people who didn’t find the movie funny or thought it was offensive.
But that’s exactly what the movie aims to achieve.
Rogan and Franco are known for creating “bad comedy,” which basically means that the movie is funny because it’s so bad. That’s the point.
I mean, come on, have none of you seen the boy’s remake of Kanye West’s “Bound 2” music clip? It’s genius because it’s hilariously awkward and bad.
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, it’s time to look at what makes this film interesting.
Firstly and most importantly, The Interview has a plot that takes overused themes (i.e., homosexual jokes, sexual innuendos and over-the-top action sequences) and molds them into a unique and enjoyable plot.
The idea to include Kim Jong-un as the sometimes goofy but mostly psychotic antagonist is genius. They’ve taken a dictator who has been given a godlike status by some and turned him into a Katy Perry-loving, emotional wreck of a man who can’t deal with being in his father’s shadow.
Rogan, who created the story alongside Evan Goldberg and Dan Sterling, has also included a hidden message within the film that people often overlook.
Although the film’s main focus is on comedy, it does also look at the harsh truth of how North Korean residents are treated and the terrible conditions to which they are subjected.
Although there were a few elements in the film that I didn’t like – including the overkill of gay-related humour and women being given powerful roles but not following them through – I still loved it and admired its courage in exploring topics that others have never even considered.
Franco and Rogan have always been a powerful duo in ‘bad comedy,’ and I’ll never grow tired of their humor.
Tasman Anderson is a Senior Reporter for Youth Journalism International.
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