Death of a Unicorn

by Mike McGranaghan

A very bizarre sense of humor is required to enjoy Death of a Unicorn. The non-existent animals are typically utilized in children’s fare, where they radiate magic and bring joy. Here, they murder people. Gruesomely. Very gruesomely. If you showed this movie to a six-year-old girl having a unicorn-themed birthday party, you’d need to give her a lifetime gift certificate for therapy as a present. Writer/director Alex Scharfman has made a uniquely weird film that’s like nothing else out there.

Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) is an attorney making his way to the wilderness retreat of his boss, super-rich pharmaceutical CEO Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant). Accompanying him is his teenage daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega), with whom he has a strained relationship. The trip is complicated when they hit a unicorn with their car and the creature’s body is found to have miracle healing properties. Cancer-stricken Odell sees not only a cure for himself but also a way to earn billions of dollars. His wife Belinda (Téa Leoni) and son Shepard (Will Poulter) also get dollar signs in their eyes. Only Ridley senses that this is not a good idea.

Death of a Unicorn is part satire, part creature feature. It’s a little weaker on the first half of that equation, a little stronger on the second. The central comedic idea is that pharmaceutical companies are run by money-hungry individuals more concerned with profits than the health of people who use their products. Not exactly a huge revelation. Still, the characters are drawn sharply enough to make their avarice funny. Poulter is a particular scene-stealer, gradually changing Shepard from a half-wit to a guy whose lack of morality knows no bounds.

Where the picture really comes alive is in the unicorn attack scenes. Yes, more than one of the animals exist, and when they realize what has happened to a member of their family, they become vengeful. Scharfman doesn’t shy away from blood and gore, but the kills are inherently comical because we never see unicorns portrayed in this manner. Rudd and Ortega get laughs with their characters’ bewildered, horrified reactions to the chaos. The leads simultaneously build a touching father/daughter dynamic that brings a level of emotion to the story.

A pedal-to-the-floor approach allows the outrageous premise to work. Once the set-up is in place, the entire second half turns into a cheerfully nutty unicorn rampage. Each human death is more insane than the one before it. Watching this talented ensemble cast run for their lives from the horned beasts is a kick. CGI and puppetry combine to let the stars interact credibly with their tormenters.

Death of a Unicorn is equal parts funny and freaky. Most importantly, it’s original. Imagination is not as prevalent in movies as it once was, so there’s something gratifying about a picture that dares to forge its own path, especially when it's this entertaining.

---