Mesquite theater packed for showing of ‘The Interview’

Usually the Megaplex Stadium in Mesquite only has a handful of people seeing a movie — maybe a dozen.

But the theater’s first showing of “The Interview,” the controversial comedy about a couple of Americans trying to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, brought in a full house. Fewer than a dozen seats were empty for the Christmas afternoon showing.

Teenage Mesquiters Lexie and Neecie Thompson pulled up to the theater with their parents and grandparents and were shocked to see news vans. The family goes to the movies together every Christmas.

“It just brings the family together,” older sister Lexie, 16, said. “It’s just something to do.”

The sisters usually go to the movies separately with their respective circles of friends, so it’s nice to do it together for the holiday, 15-year-old Neecie said.

And both sisters were skeptical of the threats that led the big movie theater chains to cancel The Interview’s Christmas release.

Last month, hackers attacked Sony Pictures Entertainment systems and leaked embarrassing emails, unreleased footage and employees’ personal information. The hackers threatened further attacks if the film was released.

Then major U.S. theater chains, fearing violence against moviegoers, pulled the plug on the film. When Sony announced earlier this week that the film was to be distributed online and have a limited theatrical release, none of the big chain theaters in the Las Vegas Valley ran with it.

“I don’t think anyone takes the movie that seriously,” Neecie said, adding that the controversy surrounding the picture made her want to see it.

Lexie was certain no one would bother attacking a theater in her hometown, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas near the Arizona line.

“I feel like nobody knows Mesquite exists,” she said.

But people who drove up from the Las Vegas Valley to see the flick know it does.

Kenny Varner, 36, of Baton Rouge, La. came to Las Vegas for the holiday to visit his parents. His mom had to work Christmas Day, so he and his dad drove to what they called “middle of nowhere Nevada” to see the film.

“I bought the tickets, and 20 minutes later it was out online,” the son said.

Sony released the film online Wednesday. Using YouTube Movies, Google Play and Microsoft’s Xbox, you can pay to stream the movie on your computer or video game console.

But Varner was upset about the way Sony handled the scandal, specifically its decision to postpone the film’s release after spending $44 million to make it.

“People are literally struggling to put food on the table, and Sony’s pulling the movie because some emails got leaked,” he said. “I think it’s really disappointing.”

Marshall and Joyce Meland, 10-year residents of Mesquite, are used to seeing maybe two or three people in a theater.

“It was a packed house,” Joyce Meland said. “That’s how you know it was a big deal.”

Both senior citizens were in the audience, laughing out loud during the film.

“It was a comedy,” Marshall Meland said matter-of-factly. “I don’t know why people were so worked up about it.”

COntact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. FInd him on Twitter: @WesJuhl.