A Million Ways To Die In The West (May 2014)

Official Australian release date: 29/5/14. Viewed: 31/5/14.

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Actors: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris

Genre: Comedy / Western

Rating: MA

‘A Million Ways to Die in the West’ certainly delivers on what the title promises! For a comedy, there’s a lot of death – so much so that it’s basically smashing the point over our heads. Set in 1882 Arizona, it’s a story about Albert (MacFarlane), wallowing in his sheep farming life on the “frontier”. It gets better when Anna (Theron) comes along, but there are complications when Clinch (Neeson) arrives. Basically, there’s a few Western elements – plenty of shorts of New Mexico/Utah filling in for old Arizona, some tumbleweed and gun duels – but the way MacFarlane talks and acts makes it feel modern (and sometimes as if you’re watching ‘Family Guy’).

There are some pretty funny/oddly short cameos – Christopher Lloyd, Ewan McGregor, Ryan Reynolds & Jamie Foxx – whether they add to the humour or detract is up for debate. There’s really not much to the story, and it’s pretty predictable, so it’s surprising that it goes for almost two hours. Plenty of toilet humour, which can be a good thing in small does, but probably goes a little overboard. The main problem is that while there’s plenty of good jokes, they’re too much like a sitcom and are unable to sustain the plot and sometimes fall flat.

‘A Million Ways to Die in the West’ is not a bad follow-up to ‘Ted’, but you can’t help but feel that MacFarlane bit off more than he could chew here, being star, writer, director and producer. Neil Patrick Harris just plays an unlikeable version of Barney, but the film’s main saving grace is Theron, who’s funny and charming, as well as Sarah Silverman & Giovanni Ribsi’s relationship.

Overall: A decent, if scattershot, comedy.

Gav's Rating: 3 stars.