Review by Michael McLarty
Director: Alex Scharfman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant
Movie Length: 1 hour 47 minutes
Very seldom will you find one of my reviews containing the word ‘fun.’ It’s an overused descriptor used by both the public and critics. However, I’ve chewed on this review since I previewed the movie last week and sadly, I must humbly submit. A24’s Death of a Unicorn is a hell of a fun movie. There, I said it. Now let’s explore why.
A father and daughter jaunt into a compound located deep in the wilderness leads them to encounter what appears to be a mythical creature, a horse with a curious horn on its head. The encounter happens to be the front end of their car, leaving the unusual animal mortally wounded. Paul Rudd plays Elliot, the father who reminds viewers several times throughout the film that he’ll do anything for his pure-of-heart daughter Ridley, portrayed by Jenna Ortega.
Even though the beast is dying, its horn has a glow to it that attracts Ridley to gently touch it. A connection is made, and the young woman is taken through a kaleidoscope of scenery that one might accurately define as magical. Dad interrupts the touching moment with a crowbar, with the intent of putting the ailing beast out of its misery. Not knowing what to do with the unusual carcass, they place it in the trunk of their vehicle and continue their journey towards their destination.
Father and daughter are on their way to a retreat, where Elliot’s most senior boss is sequestered. Joining him on the estate are his son, Shepard, and his wife Belinda, played splendidly by Téa Leoni. The plan is for Elliot to shepherd the business on his boss’s behalf, since he’s on his death bed. Speaking of amazing performances, let there be a round of applause for the indominable Richard E. Grant. Conjuring remnants of his over-the-top performance in the cult classic Hudson Hawk, Grant puts on quite the show.
To condense the story a bit, it turns out that the unicorn that was hit and then finally bludgeoned has recuperative qualities. The residing family comes to explore the properties of the animal, and everyone arrives at the same conclusion; this is a unicorn. Through some experimentation, they find that magic can be derived from mining the creature’s protrusion. In fact, the ailing Richard E. Grant character receives a blood transfusion and finds himself fully recuperated. Conversation turns to monetization but there’s trouble afoot.
It turns out that the unicorn they tried to kill is just the baby. Mom and Dad aren’t happy and as it turns out, they’re quite beastly. They’ve come to retrieve their child, and the collection of characters must find a way to survive the ordeal and hopefully come out ahead.
It’s an exciting romp with a few moments of gore that push the movie into the realm of horror, although it flexes its comedic chops more readily.
The unicorns are magnificently crafted; part real horse and part CG, we get a near flawless portrayal of the creatures. Notably, they include quite a bit of the CG in the open daylight, typically avoided by the industry’s programmers and designers. It’s easy to see flaws or blurring when the subject isn’t obfuscated by darkness. But not to fear, the daylight graphics look great.
This is a fun (there’s that word again) and twisted fairy tale sure to please crowds in attendance. I would recommend seeing this in a big theater with plenty of fellow viewers to share the experience with.
Death of a Unicorn gets a very solid rating of 8.5 out of 10.
Death of a Unicorn is now in theaters
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