The main pro of this film by a long way Charlize Theron, who is the only one who walks out of this film with any dignity. She is completely at ease with everything, she looks amazing, and she is funny and a joy to watch.
There are indeed some funny scenes in this film, my personal favourite being Gilbert Gottfried as Abraham Lincoln (or an impostor!). The “tripping” scene is also quite fun and I loved Seth MacFarlane and Giovanni Ribisi’s bar “fight”. There are indeed several funny lines throughout the film, though none come immediately to mind.
It was also refreshing to have a musical number in the film being a fan of Neil Patrick Harris, it was good to see him involved. Finally, there were some fun cameos from the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Ewan McGregor.
And now to the negatives.
Maybe I’m too uptight, they didn’t really like watching sheep urinating, in graphic detail may I add, on Seth MacFarlane (though it is a great deal better than what I thought was going to happen!) or NPH having to go through THAT scene. The humour is overly crass and embarrassing (a sticky tissue gag, really?!) and it seems as though those involved were making too much of an effort to be offensive.
I have no problem with swearing, but in this film it is overdone and seems completely out of place. It was perfectly fine in “Ted”, since that was set in the present, but here, it is just uncomfortable to hear so often.
The characters are far too two-dimensional, especially those of Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman; to their credit they give it their best, but ultimately they are let down by the script. In fact, apart from Seth MacFarlane and Charlize Theron, everyone else had little to add, fine actors though they are.
Also, story is hardly original and apart from the deliberate anachronisms, the whole film is sadly a cinematic moot point.
In conclusion, this is one of the worst films that I’ve seen in a good while. Too much bad taste humour and swearing, the characters are two-dimensional and certain scenes are gruelling to watch. Some funny parts, some painfully unfunny ones and a whole load of nothing in between.
2 Stars.