Movie: Death of a Unicorn
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Director: Alex Scharfman
Runtime: 1 hour, 47 minutes
Genre: Horror/Comedy
Rating: C
A unicorn, a car accident and a cartoonishly evil pharmaceutical company: These were the ingredients chosen to create a movie as absurd as it is entertaining. But director Alex Scharfman accidentally added a few extra ingredients: tired satire, underwhelming execution and mediocre direction. Thus, “Death of a Unicorn” was born.
The film follows Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) and his teenage daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), who are on their way to a weekend at the estate of Elliot's billionaire boss, Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant) when they accidentally hit a unicorn with their car. Leopold and his family decide to exploit the creatures magical healing abilities, but when the unicorn's vengeful parents arrive, the Leopolds' greed turns deadly.
If that summary feels thin, it’s because the filmmakers never delve much deeper into the story. The plot follows a simple creature-feature template, never truly expanding on its intriguing premise beyond surface-level horror and satire.
The film’s standout strength is in its amazing cast. Rudd and Ortega bring a believably flawed yet affectionate dynamic to the movie, with Rudd’s character Elliot embodying the stereotypical dorky, affable father while Ortega’s character, Ridley, is the archetypal nihilistic and dry- humored daughter. Their evolving relationship gives the film just enough emotional weight to remain engaging.
The supporting cast also holds its own. Each character has reasonably complex motivations, even if they aren't fully explored in the film's nearly two-hour runtime. One of the most memorable performances comes from Will Poulter as the pompous, scheming son of Odell, Shepard Leopold.
Poulter leans into the role with manic energy, perfectly embodying a privileged underachiever dwhose entitlement only grows as he indulges in the unicorn's magic. His erratic movements, smug delivery and moments of unhinged desperation make him an entertaining antagonist — especially as his unicorn horn drug-fueled madness escalates into full-blown hysteria. His downfall is both satisfying and darkly comedic, making his presence one of the film's highlights.
The creature effects are another highlight. The monstrous unicorn parents are creatively designed, and practical effects for the baby unicorn lend intimacy to certain character interactions. However, while the practical elements shine, some CGI moments — particularly the unicorns in motion and digital blood effects — appear half-baked, occasionally feeling weightless or out of place.
The film falters most is in its attempt to satirize the wealthy. In an era of sharper class critiques like “The Menu” and “Parasite”, “Death of a Unicorn” feels less like a precise scalpel and more like a sledgehammer wrapped in glitter. The Leopold family, a thinly veiled stand-in for the infamous Sackler family of Purdue Pharma, are so cartoonishly villainous that they never feel like real people, just unicorn fodder for the audience to cheer against. Their exaggerated greed and lack of depth make them predictable rather than compelling, weakening the film's satirical bite.
Scharfman also struggles to find the right balance between horror and comedy. While the film has its fair share of laughs and physical gags, much of the humor feels standard and uninteresting. The horror elements suffer from the same issue.
The film’s violence, one of its primary selling points, is disappointingly restrained; despite the potential for gleeful chaos, the editing and cinematography—though competent—never allow the audience to fully revel in the unicorns’ blood-soaked rampage.
Overall, “Death of a Unicorn” is a fun, blood-soaked thrill ride with strong performances and imaginative creature designs, but its heavy-handed satire and lackluster execution keep it from achieving greatness. Scharfman shows promise as a budding director, but he has yet to find his cinematic voice. Fans of offbeat horror will likely find some enjoyability in the film, but those looking for a refined blend of social commentary and horror will have to look elsewhere.