Film Review: ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West’ Starring Seth McFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson

What’s not so great, though, is the fact that she’s married to notorious outlaw Clinch Leatherwood (Liam Neeson). Understandably a bit upset with Albert, he challenges Albert to a duel, who must decide whether to accept and risk dying or to decline and lose all the confidence he’d found with Anna.

It wouldn’t be a Seth McFarlane product with a little low-brow humor, and there are probably a few cringe-worthy moments in the film. Fortunately, though, they’re surrounded by enough clever moments and funny gags that it’s easy to dismiss them. The script is also supported by a strong cast, including Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman, and “Family Guy” alumna Alex Borstein, who genuinely appear to be having fun on-screen the whole time.

At this point, it pretty much goes without saying, but if you’re not a fan of Seth McFarlane’s TV shows, you’re probably better off going to another movie this weekend. If you are a fan, though, chances are you’ll enjoy all 116 minutes of it. I brought my lovely friend Jennifer, a huge fan of all of Seth’s shows, and she was laughing practically the whole time. When pressed, she couldn’t single out a favorite scene or moment that was her favorite, but I noticed her pretty breathless from laughter during one scene that involved a daisy. I’ll refrain from spoiling it.

For the most part, it seems that the most recent major western releases have been dark and gritty (True Grit, 3:10 to Yuma, the upcoming Jane Got a Gun, etc.) or on the outlandish side (Cowboys and Aliens, Jonah Hex, The Lone Ranger), but there haven’t been a whole lot of western comedies. Should A Million Ways to Die in the West do well in the box office, it’s possible it could inspire a rash of like-minded movies. If you’re looking for a break from the buffet of action films summer’s well-known for, A Million Ways is the perfect dessert.

A Million Ways to Die in the West gets a B+.

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