A Million Ways to Die in the West - Shae's Review

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The best part about working for a movie theater is I get to see movies for free. So, when A Million Ways to Die in the West came out, I was dying to go (pun intended). I grabbed Mattie and we hit the theater for this exciting new film by one of my favorite actors, Seth McFarlane. Set in 1882 in the western frontier, this movie is a time piece, complete with the authentic western-film style opening. Albert is our main character and he's in a heap of trouble. Just a humble sheep farmer, he's struggling to deal with life in the west.

His best friend doesn't seem to get how awful life out there is. Albert even explains the many things wrong with the west. To get the full ambiance of the time, Edward, the best friend, is dating Ruth, who just happens to work at the saloon as a whore. Literally a whore. One that is unwilling to sleep with Edward, at least until they're married. With disease rampant, you'd think that would be the big problem, but that's oddly not the case. Death on the frontier can come on many forms, as Albert explains. One of which is by the hand of bandits; Clinch is the most ruthless killer out there.

It's here we meet Anna, Clinch's wife. In an effort to keep her safe while he deals with some business. With a recent heartbreak, Albert is open to Anna and the two form a quick friendship over a mutual hatred for the west. Of course, there are gun fights, touches of racism, some sheep, and a couple of love stories.

With a great story, a new take on love, and an excellent message; A Million Ways to Die in the West is a fantastic movie that blew me away. I wasn't expecting to go and enjoy this as much as I did. I knew this would be a good movie, but I'm already planning to see it a second time. If you're looking for a great way to kick off your summer, this is a must see movie.

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