If you’re a die hard Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted) fan they you’ll probably appreciate his sophomore directorial effort, just don’t go into it expecting it to be as good as Ted.
I’m not going to say that A Million Ways To Die In The West wasn’t funny, it’s just really unfortunate that most of its funny moments were spoiled in the trailers. They even spoiled one of the best cameos in a movie to date as a means of getting more people out to the theater.
The film takes place in 1882 in the town of Old Stump, Arizona. Seth MacFarlane plays a wimpy sheep farmer named Albert Stark who is terrified of life in the West. As the title would indicate, there are supposedly many things that can kill a person the West, such as, giant blocks of ice crushing their skull, bulls impaling them at the county fair, their own farts, the ridiculous list goes on. For this reason, Albert finds himself wanting to escape to the safer city of San Francisco.
The supporting cast are really the ones to appreciate in this film. The side plot for Sarah Silverman and Giovanni Ribisi’s characters as a couple comprised of the town prostitute and a virgin definitely had me laughing. Also, Liam Neeson as a western outlaw with an Irish accent was a good gag. Other supporting cast members include Amanda Seyfried as Albert’s ex-girlfriend Louise, Neil Patrick Harris as Louise’s new boyfriend, Alex Borstein, and Ralph Garman. All of which have better acting chops than MacFarlane.
A somewhat weak storyline kept together with over the top Old West poop jokes. An effort that will most likely keep Seth MacFarlane fans satisfied until Ted 2 comes out.
A Million Ways To Die In The West stars Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman, and Liam Neeson. The film is directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild. Catch it in theaters May 30.
John is a writer and media correspondent for GeekOutpost.com. Follow him on Twitter @John_Martino.
