'Death of a Unicorn'Review - Glitter, Gore, and Absolute Chaos
If you're craving a movie that perfectly blends quirky horror with absurd comedy, Death of a Unicorn is the ride you didn’t know you needed. It’s like if Jurassic Park met a fever dream about killer unicorns—minus the dinosaurs and plus a whole lot of bizarre humor that will make you question everything you thought you knew about magical creatures.
This film kicks off with a typical family road trip, but, of course, nothing is ever normal when you're in a movie like this. Enter Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega), a duo with a strained relationship and absolutely zero clue that their trip to a pharmaceutical tycoon’s lavish estate will be anything but ordinary. After hitting a unicorn (yes, you read that right) on their way to the Leopold family’s compound, things spiral out of control faster than you can say "magic horn."
And let’s just pause and talk about the true star of the show—Jenna Ortega. She absolutely shines here, pulling off the perfect balance of vulnerability and fierce determination. While her dad is busy trying to impress his boss (played by Richard E. Grant), Ridley is the only one who sees the unicorn's potential consequences. If there’s any heart in this chaos, it’s thanks to Ortega's performance. Seriously, she steals every scene she's in—forget the unicorns, she’s the real magic.
Now, about those unicorns: they’re not your typical Disney creatures, people. These unicorns are part of a twisted, revenge-fueled spectacle that includes plenty of blood, gore, and way too many awkward family moments. It’s a wild combination of dark satire and over-the-top horror where a healing horn quickly turns into a deadly weapon in the wrong hands. But hey, you didn’t think this was going to be all rainbows and butterflies, did you?
The vibe of Death of a Unicorn totally channels the classic B-horror films I grew up watching, where the ridiculousness of the premise is only matched by the over-the-top performances and hilariously awkward moments. It's that wonderfully campy, chaotic energy, where it’s not just about the horror but also a messy, relatable family dynamic sprinkled with dark humor. Think Troll 2 meets the vibes of an all-girls slumber party gone way off the rails, and you’ve got a bit of the spirit here.
Paul Rudd and Ortega have a strained father-daughter dynamic that gives the movie its emotional core, but let’s be real—the comedy is where this movie really lives. Will Poulter as the oblivious nepo-baby Shepard is a scene-stealer, creating one hilarious disaster after another. His antics are a treat, and his transformation into a character with zero morals is a thing of beauty—he’s like a walking disaster in the best possible way. Oh, and let’s not forget the deadpan brilliance of Anthony Carrigan as the put-upon butler, Griff. His subtle expressions often say more than words could ever express, and he provides some of the most perfectly timed moments of humor in the whole film.
While the CGI unicorns are, well, hit or miss at times, there’s no denying that the concept of revenge-driven, horned creatures is terrifying in a way that will have you both laughing and gasping in shock. And let’s be real—watching Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega react to the madness going on around them is half the fun.
Scharfman has crafted a debut film that takes you on a rollercoaster of bloody chaos, ridiculous humor, and enough absurdity to make Death of a Unicorn a totally unique cinematic experience. It’s that rare breed of film that’s wild, unpredictable, and utterly unforgettable. This is a movie that’s all about taking risks, and, for the most part, it succeeds. If you're a fan of horror comedies that don’t take themselves too seriously but still pack a punch, then this unicorn rampage is right up your alley. And hey, thank you, Jenna Ortega, for bringing that heart and soul to the movie that it so desperately needed.