A North Korean government-controlled website, Uriminzokkiri, has laid into The Interview, the satiric political comedy opening on 12.25, and, by inference, its star and co-director Seth Rogen, co-director Evan Goldberg and costar James Franco. In the usual blustery, militant tone of official North Korean pronouncements, the statement declared that the filmmakers “must be subject to stern punishment.” Which could mean bare-bottom spanking or something heavier.

“The cheekiness to show this conspiracy movie, which is comprised of utter distortions of the truth and absurd imaginations, is an evil act of provocation against our highly dignified republic and an insult against our righteous people,” the statement said.

“The trashy filmmakers, who, won over by a few dollars thrown to them by conspirators, have compromised the dignity and conscience of filmmaking and dared to produce and direct such a film. They must be subject to our stern punishment.”

The Uriminzokkiri statement also laments “how pitiful the U.S. is, desperately scrambling to tear down the authority of our republic that grows mightier by the day, with a shabby movie, now that no pressure or threat has worked.”