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South Jordan • After days of a studio and movie theaters figuring out whether to release the film "The Interview" following a massive North Korean hacking incident at Sony, the film screened in Utah without issue Christmas morning.
Many of the moviegoers who lined up to see the comedy at the Megaplex Theatre at The District weren't concerned about security issues, though the four police cars outside the building and officers — including one at the doorway of the auditorium — were a comfort to some.
"There are a ton of cops, I feel very safe," said Alex Hart of Alpine.
South Jordan police spokesman Sam Winkler confirmed Wednesday that "management of the Megaplex has asked for additional police officer presence. While the movie is being shown, the South Jordan Police Department will have an increased security presence at the theater."
Wolfe Padawer of Bountiful, who attended the 11:40 a.m. showing with his father and grandfather, wasn't worried about an incident because an attack on a theater by North Korea would be viewed as an act of war.
"The multiple police officers here shows that the movie theater and the city as a whole have some concerns, but I don't imagine anything is going to happen," the 16-year-old said.
Padawer said he wanted to see the film after seeing the initial trailer of the movie, which features Seth Rogen and James Franco as bumbling TV personalities being recruited to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. But after Sony announced it would pull the film from release, he felt compelled to go when the studio relented.
"I really, really liked it, but at the same time it was a genuinely childish and silly movie, it isn't anything anyone should take as seriously as they did," he said after watching it, adding he expects bad reviews about it. "There was so much outrage and people are expecting something more than it is. It's a movie filled with really dumb humor. It's nowhere nearly as big of a deal as people made it out to be."
The early screening was shown in a theater that seats about 340 people, and it was about two-thirds full. Later Christmas Day screenings in the large theater were nearly sold out by 1:30 p.m.
Moviewatcher Francine Dea of Taylorsville thought all the fuss was "ridiculous."
"This is America — we should be able to show a movie," she said. "It's a comedy for god's sake, get a life!"
Many of those who showed up for the first screening were motivated to attend by their fandom of Rogen and Franco's comedies, and they were excited they were able to see the film.
"I think it's much ado about nothing," said filmgoer Matt Walton of Saratoga Springs. "I believe in entertainment that can be enjoyed. People need to be able to laugh at themselves."
After watching it, he said he was a bit baffled by all of the controversy surrounding the film. He pointed to films such as "White House Down" or "Red Dawn," and other films featuring international governments such as Russia taking the U.S. president hostage and the lack of controversy around them.
"It's just a comedy. It's a Seth Rogen show, so it's not going to be all about making political statements, it's just a funny show," Walton said. "I didn't look at it like 'I wonder if Kim Jong Un is really like this or anything.' "
But sometimes being told you can't have something you want is motivation enough.
When fan Jon Ayre of Salt Lake City found out he might not be able to see the film, it made him want to watch it even more.
"Because we couldn't have it, it made us feel like we needed to see it. The second we were told we couldn't, it became a priority," Ayre said.
"The Interview" is being screened at the Megaplex theaters at The District in South Jordan and Brewvies Cinema Pub in Salt Lake City. It is also available for rent in HD on Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft's Xbox Video and the website http://www.seetheinterview.com for $5.99. It can be purchased in HD for $14.99.
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