Review: Death of a Unicorn – “Fun, gory and simple”

Death of a Unicorn comes from the film studio A24, whose previous films such as “Swiss Army Man” and “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” indicate their penchant for bold outlandish stories. Death of a Unicorn is similarly outlandish.

When Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) go to a business meeting on a secluded country estate, Elliott accidentally hits the titular Unicorn and starts an unpredictable chain of events. Rudd and Ortega are wonderful in their roles, with Ortega stealing the show, although you never truly believe them as a father-daughter duo.

Elliot continues on to his business meeting with the Leopold family who run a large pharmaceutical empire with the dead Unicorn in tow. The Leopolds and their staff round out the cast with Will Poulter, Téa Leoni and Richard E. Grant as the family and Anthony Carrigan as the loveable butler Griff and Jessica Hynes is a no-nonsense assistant. It’s a grand cast with cheerful chemistry.

Soon, the Unicorn is uncovered and so are the healing properties of its blood and horn. Soon the Leopolds are discussing how to sell the Unicorn and make miracle cures for the rich. Ridley is appalled and so are the other Unicorns which appear to take their revenge. Rather than being magically beautiful, the unicorns are ferocious and grim. As the cast tries to survive the Unicorns in the family mansion, echoing the last act of Jurassic Park (1993), it becomes clear that some lives may be worth more than others.

The film is part social commentary and part horror, but neither is given the depth required. While Death of a Unicorn is very entertaining, it’s not as preoccupied with making a statement as it is with making the audience laugh or gasp in horror at the moments of gore. The story keeps it simple and that works to its advantage. Fun, gory and simple, Death of a Unicorn is a good film to watch without engaging your brain.

Death of a Unicorn hits UK cinemas on 4th April.