As the days grow warmer and the twilight lingers longer, I gravitate toward the thrill of creature-feature films. Something is captivating about the suspense of movies that showcase sharks prowling the deep sea, colossal octopi ensnaring unsuspecting prey and alligators stealthily lurking just beneath the water’s surface.
I am equally drawn to the eerie tales of Bigfoot roaming the dense, shadowy woods and skinwalkers stealthily concealing their actual forms under the cloak of darkness. The notion of giant spiders descending upon unsuspecting towns or armies of monstrous ants overrunning suburban neighborhoods sends a delightful shiver down my spine.
Yet, when I thought I had seen it all, there’s a new contender ready to invade the realm of nightmares: the unicorn — no longer the whimsical figure of childhood but now a cryptid shrouded in darkness and mystery.
Horror comedy Death of a Unicorn is the latest feature film from A24, starring Paul Rudd as the widowed father, Elliot, and Jenna Ortega as his daughter, Ridley. While on a business trip to make arrangements with his dying employer, Elliot and Ridley accidentally hit a unicorn en route. Covered in purple blood, Ridley touches the unicorn’s horn and has a vision that connects her to the creature. Elliot puts it out of its misery, and they load the animal into the back of their rental car.
Things are not what they seem upon arriving at the estate of Odell Leopold (portrayed by Richard E. Grant), along with his wife, Belinda, (Téa Leoni), and their son, Shepard, (Will Poulter). The unicorn is, in fact, alive; however, they capture the creature and discover that its blood and horn (along with other organs) possess healing properties that range from treating acne to serious diseases. The Leopold family reveals their true, money-hungry nature, while Ridley seeks to uncover the reality of the situation.
As they transport the unicorn for further research, the mother and father unicorns come to reclaim their baby, and they will do anything to get it back. This is where the action and bloodshed begin, and the real excitement unfolds.
Written and directed by Alex Scharfman, whose other credits include Resurrection (2022) and Blow the Man Down (2019), he also worked as a crew member on another A24 film, The Witch (2015), which is a favorite of mine. Ari Aster, one of the producers, is a well-renowned director in the horror genre for A24 films Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019). Larry Fong, the cinematographer, has contributed to four Zack Snyder films, including Watchmen (2009) and Sucker Punch (2011). As you can see, this film has a mighty crew behind it.
Not only that, but the cast is stacked with several A-list stars. Is that a recipe for success, though?
Rudd and Ortega deliver outstanding performances in their roles, as they always do. However, I wasn’t entirely convinced of their father-daughter relationship in the first half of the film. I didn’t feel the emotional connection. This could be because they are such massive stars, making it hard for me to envision them as family, or perhaps the emotional connection wasn’t there. Either way, I started to feel that emotional bond in the film’s latter half, but possibly too late to create an impact.
The movie’s showstopper is Poulter as the nepo baby. His delivery of lines and showmanship is hilarious. Before he appears on screen, the comedic moments don’t land, making me worried that the whole movie may be that way. But when he enters the story, the laughs do not stop. He is an excellent actor with such range that he stands out as one of the best in the business. He also worked wonderfully with the character of Griff the butler, played by Anthony Carrigan, who also contributed a lot of laughs to the story with his blunt, dry sense of humor.
What I loved about Death of a Unicorn is its embrace of the campy absurdity of it all. It’s a movie about killer unicorns, for goodness’ sake. Although the comedy in the first third falls pretty flat, the film compensates in the rest with better-executed comedic moments, trippy imagery and laugh-out-loud crazy kills that are are next-level wild and very inventive. There are plenty of them; the movie is not afraid to take chances, and I was happy to see it “go there.” Death by unicorns is not a fun way to go out (I prefer death by stereo). Some CGI is imperfect, but that’s part of the charm and whimsical feel. I enjoyed the look of the unicorns despite technological flaws.
The best way to describe this movie is Jurassic Park, but with unicorns. The unicorns felt like velociraptors, due to how they hunt and creep up on their prey. Most of the film takes place in darkness, making it difficult to see them at first, but once they entered the house, I was reminded of the scene where the raptors sneak into the kitchen to hunt the two kids. I don’t know if they purposefully used this approach, but it was a brilliant way to go about it.
I also enjoyed the score composed by Dan Romer and Giosuè Greco. It indeed heightened the intense moments while adding a fun, magical element. Everything felt otherworldly and supernatural, coupled with the night sky resembling the Northern Lights. Initially, the score was supposed to be created by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. I cannot help but wonder how amazing that would have been, as I regularly listen to the Halloween (2018) soundtrack. It is one of my favorite vinyl records. I’m unsure what caused the change, but the score remains enjoyable and cinematic.
The film’s first third had a rocky start but found its footing once it reached the second act. The comedy worked much better in the latter half. However, the emotional aspect of the widowed father and daughter did not fully achieve the depth I would have liked to create the impact the movie aimed for. My heart was warmed slightly, but not as much as I would have liked. Yet, I wasn’t expecting that to happen, so it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.
Overall, I would rate Death of a Unicorn a solid three and a half out of five stars. Initially, I considered a three-star rating, as the film’s first half felt standard. However, the unexpected twists and comedic elements in the latter half significantly enhanced my enjoyment, prompting me to increase it by half a star. At 104 minutes, it didn’t feel too long or overstay its welcome; I believe that was a perfect runtime.
I had heard that A24 was trying to release more accessible films for general audiences, and if this is part of that effort, I applaud their new venture. There’s plenty of gore without being excessive, and the movie does not shy away from revealing which characters live or die. Many A24 films often leave me feeling depressed and wrecked for days, and I simply cannot live that way regularly, so I appreciate this light-hearted-yet-bonkers approach. I can do the arthouse and elevated horror now and then, but this is more my cup of tea.
Also, as a fan of campy B-rated horror films, I found this movie to be a delightful treat that catered perfectly to my tastes. The blend of humor and horror, particularly the absurdity of murderous unicorns roaming wild, created an entertaining experience that kept me engaged. If you approach this film with an open mind and a readiness to embrace its quirky premise, you’re guaranteed to have a fantastic time.