Death of a Unicorn (2025) - Film Review

      **Death of a Unicorn, 2025**

      **Written and Directed by Alex Scharfman**

      **Starring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Sunita Mani, Steve Park, Anthony Carrigan, and Jessica Hynes.**

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      Elliott and Ridley, a father-daughter team, accidentally hit a unicorn with their car and take it to the remote retreat of a wealthy pharmaceutical CEO. The film presents a captivating premise of retribution, where a group of wronged unicorns seeks vengeance on a privileged family for exploiting one of their deceased kin in a selfish attempt to duplicate its potent healing abilities that can cure cancer. First-time writer/director Alex Scharfman’s *Death of a Unicorn* also sets itself up as a critique of animal cruelty through slasher elements. However, Scharfman seems more focused on one-dimensional characters—both human protagonists and antagonists—and low-hanging fruit humor about the affluent. While it's true that filmmakers like Bong Joon Ho can miss the mark occasionally (as evidenced by his recent release), one can't help but think how much depth and activist energy he could have infused into such a concept.

      What’s particularly surprising about these missteps is Ridley, played by Jenna Ortega, who forms a mystical, spiritual, and potentially emotional bond with the unicorn before its demise. As the film’s moral compass, she is also navigating her grief over her mother’s terminal illness while enduring a crumbling relationship with her father, Elliott (Paul Rudd), whose misguided obsession with securing a job promotion ties him closer to the same pharmaceutical family. This elitism ultimately complicates their finances and proves detrimental to their relationship.

      The situation deteriorates further when Elliott collides with the unicorn and chooses to carry out a mercy killing. Ridley, who is not materialistic and has no interest in wealth, confronts her father during their journey to the family's secluded compound. However, Elliott is frustratingly oblivious, as the story demands stark contrasts between social classes. While Paul Rudd brings his characteristic charm to the role, over time this becomes an excuse for poor writing.

      As the plot unravels, Ridley falls into my least favorite horror trope: instantly comprehensive Internet research. Inevitably, she is dismissed by her father and the others, who ignore the alarming indicators of impending doom in favor of wealth, with the unicorn's blood granting unexpected benefits like clearing her acne and alleviating Elliott’s allergies.

      *Death of a Unicorn* leans heavily into comedy, initially deriving humor from the self-absorbed family dynamics, including the dying patriarch Odell (Richard E. Grant), his wife Belinda (Téa Leoni), their entitled and drug-addicted son Shepard (Will Poulter), and their overworked but unappreciated butler Griff (Anthony Carrigan, who comedically expresses his disdain for the family).

      However, the film excessively exploits these comedic elements. Griff eventually begins using unicorn blood like cocaine, which is amusing the first time but becomes tiresome by the third instance. The narrative neglects to utilize the intriguing dynamic where Ridley, while still in mourning, attempts to connect with the unicorn family grieving the loss of their youngest.

      What starts as humorous gradually devolves into a one-dimensional experience lacking depth, and even the anticipated emotional arcs feel unfulfilled. There is an unnecessarily long build-up to the unicorns’ retribution, with some of the killings being undeniably brutal while others are forced for comedic effect and lack impact. Fortunately, most of the violence occurs at night, hiding the low-budget visual effects, while everything else suffers in poorly lit scenes void of the vibrant colors seen during the day.

      Despite its catchy premise, *Death of a Unicorn* struggles to maintain engagement, even with strong performances from Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd, who play off each other well. Their storyline feels hollow, but Ortega manages to portray a convincing voice of reason, and Rudd delivers his comedic lines effectively. Sadly, this all unfolds in the context of a film that seems tired throughout its runtime.

      **Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★**

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He also serves as the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd.