First, he brought us the instant hit television show, “Family Guy” (and its sub-par cousin, “American Dad”). Then, he dabbled, very successfully, in stand-up comedy. Recently, he’s tried his hand in the film industry, blessing us with the laugh-a-minute blockbuster, “Ted.” Unfortunately, Seth MacFarlane’s latest big-screen endeavor, “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” falls short of his earlier hits.
Set in 1882 on the western frontier, “A Million Ways” centers on a cowardly sheep farmer named Albert (MacFarlane) who lives on his parents’ farm. When Albert’s girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) dumps him in favor of Foy (Neil Patrick Harris), the owner of the local moustache shop, he feels sad and alone. Along comes Anna (Charlize Theron), who rescues Albert from his loneliness and despair.
Albert foolishly challenges Foy to a gunfight, and Anna takes it upon herself to instruct Albert in the art of gunslinging. Not all is as it seems with Anna, however; turns out, she’s married to the most notoriously vicious gunfighter in the west, Clinch Leatherwood (Liam Neeson). Leatherwood, understandably less than thrilled about Albert’s affection for Anna, wants our protagonist dead.
As you can see, “A Million Ways” has no shortage of talent; Neeson brings his usual badassery to his villainous character, and Theron and MacFarlane have a certain charisma that resonates well on screen.
The problem with this film lies not in the acting, but in the way certain elements of it come together to form a final product. The most notable issue with the movie is its dialogue; while it takes place in 1882, the characters talk like they come from 2014.
Perhaps that’s the way MacFarlane wants it; even so, it makes the movie all the more difficult to take seriously, even for a comedy. The comedic nature of the film also comes off as lazy at times. “Ted” was no cinematic masterpiece, but every joke and funny scene had been carefully and creatively thought out and executed. In some parts of “A Million Ways,” it seems like MacFarlane has simply lost that magic touch.
Without question, “A Million Ways to Die in the West” has some truly hysterical scenes, including one involving Ryan Reynolds, who graces the screen for all but two seconds. MacFarlane also includes his usual edgy humor about things like diseases, sexuality and religion. It makes for a great movie to see with your buddies on Friday night, just for the sake of a few cheap laughs. When you look at the big picture, however, it’s really only half good.
_MOVE gives “A Million Ways to Die in the West” 2.5 stars out of 5._
