‘Death Of A Unicorn’ Review – Unicorns Are Anything But Meek In This Horror-Comedy [SXSW 2025]

In myths and folklore, unicorns are magical creatures that guide the pure-hearted to their wildest dreams and desires. In Alex Scharfman’s Death of a Unicorn, the only thing these mythical creatures will guide mere mortals to is a brutal demise. The film takes the unicorn myth as we know it, impales it through the chest, drags it to the cemetery, and buries it with a hefty dose of dark humor. Layered into this folkloric nightmare is a surprisingly emotional story about the trials and tribulations of parenthood and the lengths individuals will go to protect their families.

Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega lead this horror-comedy as the dysfunctional father-daughter duo, Elliot and Ridley Kintner. Elliot is a loving but workaholic father who will do anything to secure his daughter’s future. Unfortunately for him, this means shmoozing with the Leopold family, Odell (Richard E. Grant), Belinda (Téa Leoni) and their son, Shepard (Will Poulter). The Leopolds are titans of the pharmaceutical industry, and aligning himself with them means Elliot can financially secure Ridley’s future. Chaos ensues when Elliot runs over a unicorn en route to Leopold’s estate.

Death Of A Unicorn is a gory horror-comedy that is fun from beginning to end. The blend of a contemporary setting with a mythical twist works well because the focus is on grounded and realistic topics such as human greed, dysfunctional families, and taking a moral stand when necessary. Ortega gives an inspired performance as the sensitive and empathic Ridley. Her comments to her father can be biting and snarky, but she does love him when it’s all said and done. As she witnesses her father compromise his morals for financial security by working with the Leopold family, she desperately attempts to get him to acknowledge the unsavory request of that family and wants him to be the good, upstanding man she knows he can be. It’s a storyline that’s been seen before, but Ortega brings a lot of heart, vulnerability, and believability to the role. Rudd’s performance as Elliot is just as interesting as he struggles between what’s right and what secures the best future for his family. Although it sometimes feels like Rudd plays a character, we’ve seen him play a million times; he gives his all to his performance.

In contrast to the Kintner family, we have the Leopolds. They perfectly embody every stereotype about the rich and elite. They’re self-centered, egotistical, and put little to no thought into the well-being of their employees. That being said, the film has some interesting parallels between characters and their motivations. For example, when the movie begins, Odell has a terminal illness that is likely to kill at any minute. Calling in his lawyer, Elliot, is to ensure that his empire, and by extension, his family, will be secure and taken care of whenever his seemingly inevitable death arrives. He’s no different from Rudd’s character, even if his intentions and actions are significantly misguided. Leoni’s Belinda and Poulter’s Shepard largely serve as comedic relief, but it’s clear they’re having just as much fun as everyone else. The chemistry between the entire cast is magnetic and enhances the film even more.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the third family at the center of this movie: the unicorns. Just like the trailer reveals, a duo of adult unicorns, presumably the parents of the unicorn Elliot and Ridley hit during the film’s opening, go on a killing spree not because they hate humans. They’re parents who desperately want to get their child back. Just like the human parents, they want to secure their child’s future by nurturing and protecting it from those who would seek to exploit it. Yes, they’re just unicorns, but this enhances the movie’s themes and offers an interesting perspective on family dynamics from the point-of-view of mythical creatures.

For all the film’s strengths, it’s not without its flaws. The CGI isn’t great and becomes distracting at several points throughout the film because it’s so bad. Also, Rudd is a great actor, but viewers will find themselves thinking they’ve seen Rudd play the same role a dozen times or more.  Again, these pet peeves will not prevent anyone from enjoying the film, but they definitely standout while watching.

Death of a Unicorn is a highly entertaining horror-comedy that anchors its quirky premise with an unexpectedly emotional story about family.

Death of a Unicorn will debut exclusively in theaters on March 28, 2025, courtesy of A24.

Director: Alex Scharfman

Screenwriter: Alex Scharfman

Rating: R