A Million Ways to Die in the West

According to Seth MacFarlane there really are a million ways to die in the West, and all of them are outrageously hilarious. Opening like a classic western, the latest offering from the behind-the-scenes comedy marvel has a clever soundtrack that belies the laugh-a-minute ridiculousness that ensues.

Americana to the core with dramatic skylines and OTT 19^th century costumes, A Million Ways to Die in the West is a sizzling, slapstick, silly adventure that will have tears of joy running down your face from start to finish. MacFarlane himself as Albert is witty and quick, dashing off one-liners like he was born to do it. Charlize Theron doesn’t think she’s funny in this, but she is – as hell – as dry, gun-toting wife-of-a-baddie Anna.

Albert’s American Dream is shattered when his sweetheart breaks things off with him, and he sets about winning her back by challenging her new lover to a shootout. In steps Anna as his mentor – and so the love story goes. Throw in prostitutes, bar fights, some Native Americans and a whole lot of sheep and there’s the formula. This plot is nothing new, but it works, with the whole audience cheering the underdog on.

The genius of this film is the smoothness of acting 21^st century beings in 19^th century costume – not only does it put Hollywood hashing of period drama into perspective, it throws the audience a curveball look at a glorified slice of America through highly real, utterly sarcastic mick-taking. Think an educated version of Scary Movie, the slapstick comedy of Toy Story and Shrek most definitely for grown-ups, and you’re within firing range of what this film is all about.

A frivolous and endearingly entertaining storyline, caricature characters – epitomised by the vomit-inducing Foy, played by Neil Patrick Harris, Amanda Seyfried’s simpering Louise, and the ever-menacing, heavily Irish-accented Clinch (Liam Neeson) – and the inclusion of some close-to-the-bone jokes make this a rip-roaring trip to the cinema that will have you guffawing all the way home. Just shave off half an hour and A Million Ways to Die in the West would be the perfect western parody.

Georgia Mizen

A Million Ways to Die in the West is released nationwide on 30^th May 2014.

Watch the trailer for A Million Ways to Die in the West here: