What’s it about?
There are a million ways to die in the West, and a cowardly Seth MacFarlane has to navigate them all.
What did we think?
Elizabeth says: Family Guy, Back to the Future 3, Blazing Saddles and Barney Stinson walk into a bar… and stumble out two hours later, drunk and slightly less funny than they went in.
As a Seth MacFarlane fan I had high expectations: Ted was offensive & bizarre which helped make it a 4★ film. The problem with AMWTDITW is that Seth has attempted to make a ‘normal’ film, injected with his off-beat brand of humour. He should trust his instincts and go all out.
The first half is too wordy, and the reliance on bodily function gags grows weary. But your 2½★ is a bit harsh. The audience was laughing all the way through, and I’d recommend any Family Guy / American Dad / Ted fans to see it. Just with lowered expectations.
3½★ Good but not great.
“Million Ways” seems like the sort of film a smart person writes when he’s trying to pitch down at simpletons. There’s actually a pretty strong 90 minute comedy romance hidden in this 120 minute monstrosity, but alas Seth MacFarlane doesn’t seem to have confidence in his narrative and insists on injecting obscene and often scattalogical moments in. This isn’t necessarily a problem but the gag should be funnier than it is offensive or it just gets in the way.
2½★