The recent release of the comedy The Interview has caused major outrage throughout the world. Ja Song Nam, a North Korean ambassador told the United Nations that the release of the movie is an act of war and a sponsorship of terrorist activity.

The controversial movie focuses on a man named Dave Skylark, played by James Franco, who is the host of a tabloid show called Skylark Tonight. After finding out that the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of the show, the producer Aaron Rapoport, played by Seth Rogen, books an interview with him. Before the interview, the CIA instructs the two men to assassinate the leader, and the rest of the movie focuses on Skylark and Rapoport’s attempts to carry out their mission.

In June 2014, the North Korean government warned that if the film’s distributor, Sony Pictures Entertainment, released the movie they would merciless retaliate against the United States as a result.

After this threat was posed Sony moved the movie’s release date back from October 10 to December 25, and made edits to make the movie more acceptable to North Korea.

In November 2014, a group called the “Guardians of Peace” launched a cyberattack against the computer systems of Sony Pictures, which is the parent company of Columbia Pictures. The hackers were able to leak upcoming movies, private employee emails, and the Social Security numbers of celebrities. The FBI believes that this group is connected to North Korea, although they deny any ties to the group.

On December 16, 2014, the Guardians of Peace threatened to carry out terrorist attacks at movie theaters in the United States that showed the movie. They released a statement saying, “Remember the 11 of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainments.”

The next day, many movie theaters cancelled the screenings of The Interview due to safety concerns. Then, Sony Pictures claimed that they were not planning on releasing the film at all, but after being criticized by many citizens, celebrities, and President Barack Obama, they decided to make it available to rent online and available for limited release at certain theaters on Christmas Day.

Overall, The Interview earned about $40 million online, which is Sony’s most successful online movie. It also earned $5.9 million at the U.S. box office.

For the most part, The Interview did not receive positive reviews from critics. Sara Stewart of the New York Post labeled the movie as a “limp comedy,” and claimed that the movie has “stirred up a world of controversy it doesn’t earn.”

Ultimately, the release of The Interview has raised questions about the extent of free speech in the United States. Whether or not the makers of the movie agree with the beliefs of Jung-un, did Sony Pictures cross the line by funding a movie centered around the assassination of a powerful political leader? Was the release of this movie too dangerous after receiving threats, or was it a courageous demonstration of patriotism and freedom?