A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
- May 29, 2014
- 2 min read
Directed by: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Sarah Silverman, Giovanni Ribsi, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris,
Premièred in 2014 in Westwood, California released in the UK on May 30th 2014.
Sheep farmer Albert (MacFarlane) hates living on the Frontier where everything from the environment to the people and even the doctor are likely to kill you. Where drunken tavern brawls often end in several deaths and getting dragged away by wolves is just another way to die. The only thing he likes about this barren place is his girlfriend, Louise (Seyfried). That is until she dumps him for fancy moustachioed businessman, Foy (Harris). To top it off, notorious outlaw Clinch (Neeson) and his reluctant wife Anna (Theron) have rolled into town and it looks like Albert might not live past tomorrow.
As what appears to be the one person who never saw MacFarlane’s previous film, Ted, I was going into this with no idea how it would be. Frankly I was expecting a film stuffed with jokes and humour akin to Family Guy which was not something I was looking forward to.
The film is certainly MacFarlane’s style and humour but it’s doesn't match the TV show in its construct, jokes, or delivery, and if you didn't know it was a Macfarlane film going in you probably wouldn't be able to tell. With a lower rating than Ted, A Million Days To Die In The West likely isn't as disgusting but that's not to say it doesn’t earn its certificate with abundant swearing and graphic death scenes.
Oddly enough, despite being set in the west, the modern speaking style doesn't detract from the humour, actually being the foundation of it. There's a touch of the fantasticl to the plot but ultimately it stands well under scrutiny and doesn’t lag at any point.
Without a doubt, the show is stolen by Theron and Neeson as the not-in-any-way loving couple. Neeson plays the role straight making for hilarious laughs and giving a kind of fierceness you wouldn't expect from a comedy, while Theron is a perfect foil to MacFarlane's funny man.
It may not be among the best to come out this year, but it's entertaining enough for at least one watch.
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