In a world oversaturated with formulaic horror, sequels, and half-hearted reboots, Death of a Unicorn is a welcome oddity. It’s weird, ambitious, tonally chaotic, and proudly wears its genre-mashing heart on its sleeve. First-time director Alex Scharfman delivers a film that manages to be many things at once: a horror comedy, a family drama, and a scathing satire of the ultra-wealthy and corporate greed—oh, and yes, there’s a literal unicorn.
What makes this movie stand out isn’t just its outlandish premise, but how surprisingly well it all works. Despite its flaws, there’s an undeniable charm and originality to it that sets it apart from the horror pack.
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Plot: Corporate Greed Meets Mythical Mayhem
The story kicks off when Elliott (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit a unicorn with their car. Instead of alerting authorities or burying the mystical creature, they bring it to the remote wilderness retreat of a mega-rich pharmaceutical CEO (played with smarmy perfection by Richard E. Grant). There, things take a predictably unpredictable turn.
The unicorn isn’t just dead—it’s mysterious, powerful, and somehow connected to nature in a dangerous, violent way. What starts as a quirky road trip misadventure soon morphs into a bloody creature feature, as the unicorn’s death unleashes something feral, wild, and vengeful on the ultra-rich elite who think they can commodify everything—including the divine.
The setup is ludicrous, but the execution is confident. Scharfman leans into the absurdity, using it to highlight the satirical underpinnings of the film. There’s nothing subtle about this story, but it’s a deliberate choice—and it works more often than not.
Performances: Heart Behind the Hysteria
Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega bring a surprising amount of emotional grounding to the chaos. Their father-daughter dynamic is heartfelt and believable, even when surrounded by blood, gore, and a possibly cursed unicorn corpse. Ortega continues to prove her versatility, balancing dry wit, emotional depth, and genre chops with ease. Rudd, meanwhile, uses his likability to great effect, playing a flawed but well-meaning dad trying to reconnect with his daughter during the worst possible weekend getaway.
The supporting cast is equally game. Richard E. Grant devours every line with devilish delight, Téa Leoni adds warm, affectionate two-faced energy, and Will Poulter offers some unexpected laughs. The ensemble is clearly in on the joke and enjoying the ride.
Satire With Teeth (and Hooves)
The social commentary in Death of a Unicorn is loud, but never lazy. Scharfman skewers corporate America, scientific overreach, and wealth hoarding with savage glee. The unicorn itself becomes a symbol of nature, purity, and the consequences of human arrogance. When that purity is violated, the results are violent and unrelenting.
It’s not always elegant, but it’s effective. The film takes swings, and while some don’t land, enough do to keep the audience both entertained and occasionally unnerved. This isn’t satire for subtlety’s sake—it’s satire wielding a blood-soaked horn.
Style, Tone, and the Tightrope Walk
Tonally, the movie is all over the place—intentionally so. It shifts from heartfelt to horrific to hilarious in the span of a single scene. Somehow, Scharfman juggles it all with just enough control to keep the film from collapsing under its own ambitions.
Visually, the movie is stunning at times. The lush, isolated retreat provides a gorgeous (and ironic) backdrop for the carnage. The creature effects, especially those involving the unicorn, are well-executed and carry a mix of beauty and terror that fits the film’s vibe perfectly.
Final Thoughts: Flawed But Fearlessly Fun
Death of a Unicorn isn’t a perfect film. Its tone might alienate some viewers, and there are stretches where its pacing and plot coherence wobble. But it’s undeniably unique—and in today’s movie climate, that counts for something.
This is a divine little monster movie with brains, guts, and a heart. It’s both a sharp satire and a genre love letter, and while it doesn’t always hit the bullseye, you have to admire it for taking the shot.
About “Death of a Unicorn”
Synopsis: A father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss (Richard E. Grant) seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties.
Director: Alex Scharfman
Writer: Alex Scharfman
Cast: Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Will Poulter
Rated: R
Runtime: 1h 47m
Releases: March 28, 2025
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- Hong Lehttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/admin1/
- Hong Lehttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/admin1/
