After the hype: here's what the internet thinks of 'The Interview'

So you resisted the pressure to watch The Interview the second it became available, and you're not willing to rely on one review to decide whether it's really worth a download or theater trip just to stick it to hackers. No worries -- we've rounded up some of the more prominent reviews to give you a sense of whether or not the North Korean adventures of Franco and Rogen are any good. You may already have a sense of how well this over-the-top comedy fares, but don't be too quick to judge. You might find a few reasons to shell out some cash (or at least wait for that rumored Netflix release) to see The Interview, even if it's far from a cinematic masterpiece.

• Blu-ray.com: This "isn't a dangerous movie," but rather "a silly one" -- while it does its best to relax you, it "deserves a sharper edge of satire" that jabs both the media's hollowness and North Korea.

• IGN: The movie is "often childish" and isn't going to stand out as one of the "shrewdest political satires" you've ever seen, but it's "chuckle-worthy" if you like Rogen movies such as This Is The End.

• The Mary Sue: The movie leans too much on its premise for the humor. It's admirable if you watch The Interview "on principle," but it's "only occasionally funny" and doesn't do much to comment on the CIA, the media or North Korea.

• Rolling Stone: Peter Travers finds that the movie is "killer funny," and that you "can't help rooting for it" even when the jokes don't work. With that said, he doesn't think that The Interview (or any political satire, for that matter) can "carry the burden" of championing free speech.

• The Verge: This is a classic "emperor-has-no-clothes situation," Emily Yoshida says; the movie just wasn't going to live up to the hype. It's bad enough to be "self-parody," and both the Asian and women characters are one-dimensional. You're not doing much to promote free speech by watching.

• Time: You shouldn't expect "cogent political satire" from this "hit-or-miss" flick, but it's ironic that North Korea doesn't like the movie -- the most complex and sympathy-inducing character is ruler Kim Jong-un, who switches between "charm and menace."

• Variety: Don't expect kind words from Variety contributor Scott Foundas. He calls it a "terror attack" on anyone who isn't a fan of toilet humor, and it feels like an underdeveloped concept.

• Wall Street Journal: The movie falls apart after the opening scene. While it makes fun of Hollywood's vacuous productions, it reflects a "dumbing-down" in American culture that turns a potential satire into "sour buffoonery."