Death of a Unicorn is a dark comedy-horror flick that’s wild but uneven.
Paul Rudd’s Elliot and Jenna Ortega’s Ridley hit a unicorn, discovering its blood heals everything, but their billionaire boss’ greed turns it into a messy, gory farce. The interval reveal of the unicorn’s powers is cool, but the spark fades fast. Will Poulter’s unhinged rich kid is a riot, stealing every scene, and Ortega’s heart keeps it grounded, but Rudd’s stuck playing bland dad. Richard E. Grant’s villainy feels cartoonish, and the rest of the cast barely registers.
Alex Scharfman’s direction swings from funny to flat, and his script’s satire of greed doesn’t land as hard as it should. Balazs Bolygo’s visuals are okay but miss A24’s usual magic, and the score’s forgettable.
I liked the crazy premise, but the pacing drags, and the tone’s all over the place. I stayed engaged, but my phone got some attention during the dull bits.
It’s a decent watch with some laughs and gore, but trim the fluff and sharpen the satire, and it could’ve been great.
Leave a Reply