SXSW Review: Death of a Unicorn is a Fantastical, Expected Genre Blend

      A film that offers a few genuine laughs and entertaining moments, Death of a Unicorn doesn’t quite take the risks it could or should. Positioned between a conventional horror comedy and a mild satire reminiscent of Succession, Alex Scharfman’s debut feature reinterprets the unicorn maiden myth. It centers on the unusual predicament of father-daughter duo Elliot (Paul Rudd) and Ridley (Jenna Ortega). On their way to see Elliot’s wealthy boss at a secluded nature reserve, they accidentally hit a unicorn. Ridley becomes entranced by the creature's gaze, prompting Elliot to brutally beat it and hide it in the trunk.

      Elliot is a fixer aiming to gain full power of attorney over the eccentric pharmaceutical billionaire Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant). The patriarch of a wealthy family filled with stereotypes, Odell lives with his wife Belinda (Tea Leoni) and son Sheppard (Will Poulter), an aspiring trendsetter with no original thoughts. Ridley, portrayed by Ortega, is clearly the sharpest among them, a pure maiden (a role that could have been further leveraged for larger laughs) who researches the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s archives and uncovers a violent turn of events.

      Steve Park and Sunita Mani play on-call doctors at the mansion, ready to turn the unicorn’s horns into an injectable serum that miraculously cures Odell’s cancer. The film’s scientific approach mirrors that of Jurassic Park as the family debates their next steps. Unsurprisingly, Sheppard contacts his friends and attempts to sell an eight-ball of horn powder to the highest bidder.

      Despite flashes of satirical potential and Poulter's comedic talent, the script by Scharfman provides him with insufficient material—it never fully commits to a direction. Instead, Unicorn follows the least compelling route of a standard horror comedy, featuring unicorn horn impalements you’d expect. Comedies like this require a delicate balance; while Rudd's portrayal of a man willing to become unsympathetic for his and his daughter's future adds depth, the narrative remains mostly predictable. Ortega retains her role as the cleverer member of the cast, hinting at future events while attempting to offer warnings.

      Though the actors individually give their best, Death of a Unicorn struggles to find its collective coherence or identity, functioning more as a diluted version of a stronger film rather than a confident narrative. It resembles a blast from the past at Miramax, where Harvey Weinstein over-scrutinized every film in search of a hit. While some feedback can be beneficial, often this approach leads to movies that lose their essence. Death of a Unicorn is not entirely lost in this way, but it does seem to fall into a thematic and genre compromise, underutilizing its intriguing premise.

      Death of a Unicorn premiered at SXSW 2025 and is set to be released in theaters on March 28.