10 Worst Western Movies Of Past 20 Years
8. A Million Ways To Die In The West
The wackiest aspects of the Wild West have played host to some comedic relief here and there, but rarely is it a leading focus. The new frontier was often harsh and unforgiving, so westerns choose to focus on its more grittier aspects instead.
A Million Ways to Die in the West was already standing on rocky ground when it arrived in 2014. It follows the weak but otherwise kind-hearted sheep farmer named Albert Stark (Seth McFarlane). As he looks to escape to San Francisco, Stark finds himself entangled in the affairs of the infamous Clinch Leatherwood (Liam Neeson).
After obtaining high success with the two Ted films, McFarlane's style of comedy was unable to transition into an alternative setting and genre. It typically relies on raunchy dialogue and toilet humour to make an impression. On occassion, A Million Ways to Die in the West offers some mild entertainment, but these moments are too scattered across its bloated two hour runtime.
If anything, the film would have been better served as a black comedy, fully embracing the darker aspects of the Wild West. As it stands, the film's misguided focus on many unneeded cameos and weaker humour makes it ring hollow from start to finish.