A Million Ways to Die in the West, 2014.
Directed by Seth MacFarlane.
Starring Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi, Sara Silverman, Wes Studi and Liam Neeson.
SYNOPSIS:
As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his new-found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival.
When Ted struck a nerve back in 2012, many were heralding the start of a new, all-conquering career for creator Seth MacFarlane. Fresh from the continued success of Family Guy, his debut into the live-action stakes brought acclaim and buckets of box-office cash. Given a free reign to choose where he went next, he decided to follow a dream to revisit the old west in A Million Ways to Die in the West. Sadly, and heartbreakingly, it’s as misfiring as it’s central character.
A Million Ways… is the comedy equivalent of say Richard Kelly with Southland Tales, or even, in keeping with the western motif, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate. Not in terms of story or intention, but of a filmmaker/creator hitting it big, then utilising their newfound fame and bankability to indulge them, to spoil themselves rotten with more currency, and more power, sucking the teat dry. This isn’t a negative in terms of admiration for MacFarlane and his previous creations, but for all intensive purposes, he has certainly taken a spurred-boot backwards.
Co-written again by MacFarlane and Ted/Family Guy scribes Wellesley Wild and Alec Sulkin, fans of those two efforts (and American Dad for that matter) will no doubt have the same reaction as many: how, and why, have the writers for such entertaining works reduced themselves to the kind of crass, infantile humour that would normally be reserved for the Epic Movie/The Hungover Games of this world? Genital jokes, toilet humour and their political/racial/sexual slants may work in animation, or when spouted by a cuddly bear, but in an overlong two-hour live-action comedy, they grow tiresome very swiftly. Some are funny, mind, but many are not.
Worse still, MacFarlane, a fine comedian when nestled safely behind animation or CGI, decided to cast himself in the lead role. A ballsy move for sure, and while he maintains his comedy timing and likeability, he doesn’t have the chops necessary to pull off a lead performance like this, and looks like a deer in headlights for much of the movie. He’s still a wonderful talent with much more still to offer, but A Million Ways… serves to prove that a leading man he isn’t.
Smartly, MacFarlane fills out the rest of the cast with enough talent to take some weight off, but many are left clutching at straws (Neeson and Seyfried are almost afterthoughts). Ribisi and Silverman, as the lovers yet to have consummate their marriage, share some of the film’s wittier moments, and Theron gives as good as she gets, bringing some much needed sophistication to the film.
Neil Patrick Harris is the film’s show-stealer though, who provides the energy the film desperately needed. As the town’s moustache impresario, his gusto and showmanship (with a dance number to boot) is never less than impressive, and manages to save the film from the one-star status many have bestowed on it.
Plaudits too must go to the design teams, who have done a wonderful job of realising the glorious backgrounds of the old west. Set design and locations are rich in history and authenticity, while director of photography Michael Barrett beautifully brings the plush, dusty colours back to life. But again, let down by it’s dreary direction, their efforts are cancelled out by the film’s dreariness.
For all the credibility and standing MacFarlane and co have built up over the years, this feels like their best effort to throw all of that away. Where Ted was a loveable, lively comedy with some true moments of genius, A Million Ways to Die in the West is an immature, humorless misfire that will be a blot on MacFarlane’s CV for years to come. It certainly isn’t laughter free, but if you have seen the trailers, you won’t have much more to shout about. And while one can hope he will return to form with Ted 2, you can’t help but feel a slight trepidation after this hugely disappointing farce.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★
Scott Davis
Originally published May 29, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
