C'mon Hollywood: Don't forsake your films to terrorism

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

This past month we’ve been inundated with the messy chaos that is the Sony Hack; Leaked private information, including social security numbers and medical records, as well as e-mails that detailed catty conversations and spit-balling movie ideas, many of which were turned into a headline free-for-all. At first, it seemed like this may be an isolated incident, but after the daily barrage of leakage it became apparent that this was something much more. The true shift came when the group behind the hacks (calling themselves the G.O.P. “Guardians of Peace”) threatened a “9/11” style attack on all theaters that played the film. At that point, the game was changed and the knee-jerk reaction to even hearing the phrase “9/11” sent theater owners running for the hills and refusing to show it, prompting Sony to cancel the film altogether, even with no “credible intelligence” to support said threat.

And that’s where it all went to complete shit.

From the moment THE INTERVIEW was announced and the plot was revealed (an assassination attempt on North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un) it sounded like a risky move, but it fit well within the wheelhouse of those involved. Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Franco had enjoyed great success with their previous effort THIS IS THE END and have routinely displayed that they aren’t afraid to push the limits, which quite often leads to hilarious results. With the film’s announcement also came the expected response from North Korea, promising “merciless retaliation” and calling the film “an act of war.” It wasn’t the first time North Korea made baseless threats, so most of us just gave their response a dismissive wave.

Perhaps we shouldn’t have.

What the hacker-terrorists did is capture the attention of the world in an overt display of cyberwarfare and after they had everyone waiting for the next move, turned it on its ear and issued a physical threat. Full stop. From there it was a game of chicken and, sadly, we lost. I say “we” not just as a country or a medium of art, but as human beings. And although it was a batch of theater chains and a billion dollar corporation that made the decision, it’s one that reverberates to all corners of the globe. Response was everything here and the one that was sent is a message that cripples our biggest freedom; expression. Letting fear dictate what you will and won’t say, write, paint, draw, sing, compose, film, etc. is the first step in losing your freedom altogether.

The irony of saying all this as a result of a Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy is not lost on me, but it’s not really that surprising. I’m sure many would rather this battle be fought over something like Star Wars or something, but that would be a long-shot to begin with, unless it was offending Sith Lords. Films with social, political, and religious themes aren’t anything new (see: BIRTH OF A NATION and THE GREAT DICTATOR to name a few). They’ve been around since the medium existed, be it as biographical, satire, drama, etc. and have stirred the pot frequently, prompting boycotts, demonstrations, petitions, etc., all of which are well within the rights of someone offended by the material, but at the same time not infringing on the rights of the individual(s) who created the work. It also didn’t stop those films from being released.

The cancellation of THE INTERVIEW is a first of its kind and ultimately sets a precedent that can’t be undone. Believe me, there are a lot of nut jobs out there paying very close attention to the response from both the theater chains and Sony and the message is clear: It works. They can not only shut down a movie with a poorly written threat on the internet, but they don’t even need any real legitimacy in carrying out that threat other than proof that they can hack a computer. Now, take that a step further and you have people looking at ways to shut down every other thing that offends them, be it a film, book, comic, etc. And, why would they stop at entertainment? That’s where it gets really scary. The irony of cancelling the film in order to prevent an attack is that it actually opens the floodgates for more of them.

Also in the wake of the hacks and cancellation of THE INTERVIEW is the cancellation of another project that’s North Korea themed. The Gore Verbinski–Steve Carell film, PYONGYANG, based on the graphic novel by Guy Delisle, was suddenly shelved while in the development phase as a result of all this, once again sending a very clear message that Hollywood will fold under fear of threats, no matter the legitimacy of them. This, in essence, is the magic bullet to kill art. What better way to stop someone from saying something you don’t want them to say than by threatening their life, right? Bully them into submission. Steal their voice and stomp it into the ground. Of course, you could always stand up for yourself in the face of oppression, like you were told growing up, right? Eh, we’ll just toss that out the window. It plays better in the movies than in real life, anyway.

I don’t envy Sony or the theater chains’ position. The call to not screen and/or cancel a film altogether is not an easy decision to make and a complicated one, especially when dealing with a terrorist threat in today’s day and age (and opens up the doors for a broader conversation about theater security, unfortunately). It’s been a tough past decade in that sense and a rough past few weeks for Sony, who isn't to blame for being hacked, as they are the victims, but their response (which was informed by the theater chains' refusal to play it) is what hurts us all. And while many supported the studio following through with the release in some form or another (George Clooney even tried to start a petition to stand by them), the damage to business and morale, coupled with the waters of unfamiliar territory forced a bad decision.

Some say that they did the right thing by cancelling the film, even if our own president told us we should “go to the movies” (thanks, Obama!). It kept everyone safe. Safe from Internet threats. Now, you can feel warm and fuzzy when you go see UNBROKEN on Christmas Day. Don’t worry, no threats from Japan on that one. Not yet, anyway. Maybe someone will post a threat on Reddit and they can cancel that one, too. Why not just issue a threat to all films and all theaters on a weekly basis? Would you still go or would you forego the theater because some anonymous hacker-terrorist threatened your life if you did (on the computer, no less)? Better to live in fear than not at all, right?

And that’s what this whole mess creates. It lets fear rule art. Do you think Michael Moore would’ve made FAHRENHEIT 911 or Oliver Stone would’ve made W. if they let fear rule their creativity and passion? Would Mel Gibson have made THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST or Kathryn Bigelow made ZERO DARK THIRTY or Ang Lee made BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN if that were the case? The list goes on and on. The importance of being able to express the world through film (or any medium for that matter), whether you agree with the material or not, is the true meaning of expression. We are not drones. We are a population of very different people all living our lives and having very different experiences and it’s our right to express that through one of our only means to do so. It is a record of our existence. Having someone, be it a terrorist organization, host nation, fringe group, or schoolyard bully, tell us what we can and can’t say is the surest way to enslaving who we are.

And yesterday, that bully won. He got the lunch money AND our silence.

I have little doubt that this game of chicken will rear its ugly head once more in Hollywood (or elsewhere) and the only question now is whether or not whoever is next will cave in or stand up. Their response will dictate whether or not film as art thrives or dies. Rest assured, if everyone were to respond like this, then it's all over. There are millions of stories to be told out there, many that will give perspective, inspire conversation, and reflect the life and times we live in. Ironically, one of those films is now shelved due to the very thing that threatens to shackle us most. It’s my hope that filmmakers continue to find a way to make their voices heard and strive to make innovative and thought-provoking films no matter who tells them they can’t. It’s my hope that those who filter this art out to the masses will remember where their middle finger is and how to choke out the words “fuck you” when someone tries to stop them, because most of us paying to see these films have no problem doing so and we’re the ones they represent when they crumble under pressure. The solution isn’t always black and white, but one standard is; don’t give in to fear. Otherwise, there is no solution, only compromise and loss.

Find your middle finger, Sony. There's still time.