Macfarlane's Misfire

Seth Macfarlane has done just about all there is to do in show business. He's had 2 hit animated series (2 1/2 if you call the 3 seasons of "The Cleveland Show" a hit show), written and directed a movie that made nearly $500 million worldwide at the box office, hosted the Academy Awards, released a CD of music standards and produced a rebooted version of the science based series "Cosmos". 

Three weeks ago he released his 2nd feature for which he's the writer, lead actor, and director. 

Although I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, I am a fan of most of Macfarlane's work . His animated shows are my "guilty pleasures". 

When I saw the trailer for his new movie I felt compelled to go see it. I knew that when unbridled Macfarlane goes to the extreme in vulgar language and what I'll call "adult humor." But I also know that he can be very funny without being vulgar but that's not his usual style. 

"A Million Ways To Die In The West" held the promise of releasing Macfarlane's sharp, warped, irreverent sense of humor into the historic American frontier. I thought it had the promise of being the current generation's "Blazing Saddles."

So, I went to see "A Million Ways To Die In The West" Although I went to see it in the middle of the after noon I was a little apprehensive when I was one of two people in the theater as the feature started. As I have learned in the past being this is usually not a good sign; especially for a movie only in it's 2nd week in the theaters. 

Even though it's only the beginning of June I can honestly say I'm pretty certain that at the end of the year this one is going at the top of my worst movie list. It was a train wreck. 

There's nothing funny at all in this picture. Nothing. There are plenty of one liners, jokes, and sight gags but none of them are funny. I can honestly say that I didn't laugh out loud at anything in this movie even once. I cringed a lot but there was no laughter. 

As expected the language is coarse and vulgar. The characters are not the least bit believable. The story could be told in less than half an hour but the movie runs over 2 hours. Macfarlane manages to make Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Neil Patrick Harris boring. 

The parts that are supposed to be funny are not. The parts that are supposed to be serious are contrived and awkward. 

I have no idea what the scenes where Macfarlane's character, Albert, is captured and drugged by an tribe of Indians were supposed to be about. 

The most positive thing I'll remember about this movie is that  actor Matt Clark, who played Chester the bartender in Back To The Future Part 3 played an old prospector in it. 

If you are a fan of "Family Guy" or "American Dad" you may be tempted to go see this movie. But you have been warned don't waste your time or money.