Death of a Unicorn
- Ben Pivoz
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
The unicorn is a fascinating mythological animal of great beauty. However, the unpleasant possibilities of what one could do with the giant, sharp, horn on the top of its head are usually not explored in the fairy tales or children’s stories they tend to be featured in. They represent nature’s unpredictable glory, not its fury. The comedy/thriller Death of a Unicorn makes amusing use of both aspects of the title creature.
Its majesty entrances some and makes others see massive dollar signs. Yet it can also be responsible for a violent wrath that leaves blood and gore in its wake. The concept is pretty funny and there are absolutely laughs along the way, plus several good kills. Unfortunately, the story is a little too formulaic and not as wacky as it sounds. It is entertaining, but it takes its world-building more seriously than it should. It is reined in where chaos could have made it soar.
Ridley and her father, Elliot, are on their way to a secluded mansion in the middle of nowhere so that Elliot can close a lucrative business deal. Distracted, he hits something with his car. Thinking it dead, they take the mysterious horse-like being with them, unwittingly unleashing carnage they could never have imagined.
There is an inherent silliness to the premise of Death of a Unicorn (100 minutes, without the end credits) that doesn’t translate as much as expected. The scenes of unicorn mayhem rise to that level, as does the performance of Will Poulter as a spoiled rich idiot. The rest of the movie doesn’t quite get there consistently enough. It is never boring and has a few good tricks up its sleeve. However, it does not really seem like it gets everything it could have out of its wild central idea.
Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd, as Ridley and Elliot, are naturally charming performers. They try to establish a relationship viewers can care about, even if they are essentially playing characters we’ve already seen them play before in other projects. Rudd as the affable guy who makes poor decisions for relatable reasons. Ortega as the bitter daughter who feels ignored by her parent. They make the most of a few good moments, yet their story arc is far too tame to maintain interest. Rudd does have some funny throwaway lines, but Ortega is mostly saddled with being the straight woman.
There is a hard-edged dark comedy hidden in here somewhere. Instead, the screenplay by writer/director Alex Scharfman takes easy shots at the ignorant wealthy and desperate people who do what they say just for a taste of their lifestyle. The villainous family here does work, especially Will Poulter going over the top as the shameless, moral-free, son. His obliviousness gets a lot of laughs. Richard E. Grant sadly doesn’t get much scenery to chew as the patriarch and Téa Leoni only gets to play a dull stereotype as his wife.
Death of a Unicorn really comes alive during the sequences of unicorn rage. The goring, trampling and tearing has a welcome rhythm to it that gives the movie momentum. Sometimes these creatures look lovely, other times they are simply terrifying. More focus on them, less on the plot, would have been nice. As would a push toward darker comedy. Though it doesn’t hit that mark, it is an enjoyable attempt at something sort of different. If you can only see one bloody comedy where fantasy beasts menace Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, make it this one! It is certainly worth a look, even if the dark comedy isn’t as biting, clever or offbeat as the premise seemed to promise.
3¼ out of 5
Cast:
Jenna Ortega as Ridley
Paul Rudd as Elliot
Will Poulter as Shepard
Richard E. Grant as Odell
Téa Leoni as Belinda
Anthony Carrigan as Griff
Written/Directed by Alex Scharfman
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