Review of A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) by Danielxg — 03 Oct 2014

With "Ted" (2012), Seth MacFarlane prooved he is able to tackle the harsh world of cinema as a producer, director and writer. He decides to take it one step further with "A Million Ways to Die in the West" where he also takes the leading role.

But does MacFarlane's second movie hold up to his first? The short answer is no, but the long one is that while this is worst than "Ted" is still a decent movie. MacFarlane's attempt at representing the Wild West is one of parody. He manages to parodies the 1882 West in a way that would make even Mel Brooks proud. The humor is fast-paced, slick, and usually smart. Yes, I said usually because not all moments will make you laugh.

Nevertheless, these moments aren't present nearly enough to ruin the experience. There are tons of well-written references to the atmosphere and the dangers of the Wild West. Talking about refences, one includes a DeLorean in a shed! You can't wait to see the movie to find out what I am talking about, right?

Anyway, while the humor is top notch, the rest isn't all that great. To start with, if it wasn't for Seth MacFarlane's amazing comedic talent, this movie would have just been another Saturday night TV picture transmitted on your local network. The biggest problem is that after you've seen the first half, you will most likely know how it will end.

Good thing though, is that Seth MacFarlane is aware of this so he doesn't try to turn this into a drama with thrills and twist. There isn't much logic into some of the scenes, but at least they are funny. MacFarlane knows that comedy is his game, so he uses that a lot.

So, the result is a masterful parody of the West, kind of like Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974), but a mediocre movie.