Review: A Million Ways to Die in the West

106. A Million Ways to Die in the West
I found this movie to be, for the most part, pleasant and amusing. I don't think this is exactly what the filmmakers were going for, though. The film is never as subversively funny as it's trying to be, perhaps because it is too self-conscious in its attempts. It's the perfect example of how I am just a fan of movies in general. There's nothing in it that's really original, and it's not even particularly good, but I had a good time watching it tell a familiar story even if it did not fully live up to its potential.

The humor in the film is almost entirely of the hit-or-miss variety. They throw so many jokes at you one after the other in the hope that if one doesn't stick, the next one will. Many do stick. Many others don't. Some are clever and probably looked good on paper (like a bit where characters complain about kids hoop rolling using the same concerns some people today raise about video games), but are only amusing at best in practice, never inspiring a genuine laugh. The best laughs are usually the pop culture references, though their quality fluctuated as well--the more obscure they are, the funnier, but the less likely the audience will be to get them. Of the celebrity cameos, my favorite was the one that came at the very end of the movie. It was exponentially more entertaining since it hadn't been spoiled by the trailers and was a completely unexpected surprise. The major drawback is that the Wild West setting is not integral to either the film's plot or most of its humor.

The acting is adequate, with most of the actors playing the "type" that the film requires them to, and doing a fine job at it. Liam Neeson was especially entertaining as the villain, a role he rarely takes, especially when played so broadly. Seth MacFarlane is not bad in the leading role, but there are a few places where I feel he suffered from being an actor-director. For example, there was one moment where his character was shown in close-up, supposedly surprised by what he was witnessing. He didn't need to go over the top with it, but his eyes didn't widen at all. A director could have spotted this and requested another take, but it's a hard thing to spot that for yourself when you are the director.

In spite of my complaints, I did have fun with the movie, but I can't make any claim that it was actually very good. It's probably another one to wait for until its on television.