Director: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson
Three stars
Seth MacFarlane plays a cowardly farmer in the Old West who falls for a tough but beautiful woman (Charlize Theron) and then must summon his new-found courage to fight her former husband (Liam Neeson). If you've seen any of the Family Guy creator's work, you will know what to expect. Now that he's given a bigger budget, bigger stars and a looser rein for vulgarity, the film takes a machine-gun approach to gags, with many hitting the target. It's perhaps a little less focused than his previous film, 2012's Ted, with a feeling that the story is merely filling time between prat falls and sheep gags (there are many). Ultimately, the comic timing of those involved (particularly Theron, who has a surprising knack for deadpan) means the film may take odd twists and turns, but it is a journey worth taking.