If you go to the Drudge report now, it links to Variety's review of the movie. The movie's pretty fucked up, from the sounds of it. Not only is "Nigger" thrown around 109 times (more than a "bit"), but it also seems to delight in being hyperviolent.
Hell, it's possible that the "Nigger x 7" link linked to the Variety review of the movie. Huffington Post never mentions this.
I think that they were trying to bring attention to the movie. This is the first time I've heard of it. I can't blame them for being disturbed, seeing as how people love to throw around the "conservative = racist" meme so goddamn much. Despite the fact that I'm sure the movie has cotext for the word, I'm sure they're likely pissed that the movie isn't being trashed for the subject material.