Death of a Unicorn Review: Dark Unicorn Movie with 'Wednesday' Star Might Be Surprisingly Magical

 Copyright © A24, Ley Line Entertainment, Secret Engine, Monoceros Media, Square Peg, The Royal Budapest Film Co

Title: Death of a Unicorn
Director: Alex Scharfman

Release Date: March 28, 2025

    A24 has a reputation for bittersweet dramas, but their occasional forays into quirky dark comedies, like Everything Everywhere All at Once, offer audiences a delightful break. One of their latest releases, Death of a Unicorn, continues this tradition with one of the weirdest horror concepts yet. Starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, the film earned a disappointing $5.7 million during its opening weekend, falling short of its $15 million budget. Critics praised the film's inventive premise and strong performances, but were divided due to tonal inconsistencies and unrealized thematic potential. However, audiences received it more warmly. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 53% Tomatometer score from critics and a 78% Popcornmeter from viewers. Although it may not stand as the year’s best horror film, "Death of a Unicorn" is an entertaining ride filled with unicorn mishaps!

Summary

   "A weekend retreat has deadly consequences when a father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to find his billionaire boss, who seeks to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties." - Google

Reasons

    The most magical properties of Death of a Unicorn are its quirky story, straightforward execution, and ridiculously good humor. A horror movie about a unicorn is certainly an unconventional idea that was made it work. There's nothing overly difficult or dirty. Just a tale of a father-daughter duo accidentally crashing into a unicorn. Also, the film doesn’t aim to teach a moral lesson, and instead succeeds as pure entertainment. For A24, it's a refreshing break from their usual dramas and horror fare. While there are minor themes about nature, the primary goal is to make audiences laugh without diving into heavy subplots. Going ahead, the humor can serve multiple laughs. Served as well-written jokes, they are delivered through dialogue or absurd character kills. They might be stupid, but they hit the mark in the best possible way.
    Other standout elements of Death of a Unicorn include strong performances, effective jumpscares and kills, and decent CGI. Casting an overrated star, like Jenna Ortega, doesn't automatically mean the movie will turn out bad. Every actor, including her, delivered solid performances in the movie. However, Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan stole the show as Elliot and Griff respectively. On the horror front, the jumpscares and kills add genuine tension, even for a comedy. This is one of those times where unicorns are depicted as vile. It has just enough kills to make sure not everyone dies. Finally, the CGI rendering of the unicorns is commendable, even though they are not as groundbreaking as Marvel's CGI. The team managed to make them look realistic enough to blend in with the live-action settings. Unlike last year’s disappointing Borderlands adaptation, the smooth movement makes the movie look believable.
    Despite being a fun movie, Death of a Unicorn has its flaws. While it was effective, casting Jenna Ortega felt like a mixed choice. She might continue to play the same character over and over again after being cast in this one. Additionally, the pacing could have been tightened. Certain scenes drag on to distract from the prime story. If the movie was shorter, it might fit the typical Hollywood formula, because even a fast pace could have been worth it for this movie.

Conclusion

    Death of a Unicorn is a feel-good ride, with both comedy and horror, that proves even unicorns can kill for revenge! More companies should make films that poke fun at the typical Hollywood formula. After a series of seriousness, A24 has struck gold by embracing pure entertainment, and it would be fantastic to see them create more movies like this. While the CGI isn't Marvel-level, the engaging story and its blend of scares ensure this movie stands out. Here's hoping Jenna Ortega explores new character types in future roles to avoid predictability! If you're a fan of dark comedies, this is worth a watch. It's guaranteed to make you scream and laugh at the same time.

    Score: 7.5/10 (it's not a feral horse with a horn...it's a unicorn!)