Death of a Unicorn

I got to see an early screening and it was as expected, campy, gory with comedic elements. It was a good popcorn movie. Some people complained that it was stupid which I don't get because its a movie about unicorns... So of course its a bit dumb, that's the point.

I compare it to Cocaine Bear (2023) because they are both marketed to be a silly comedy with violence, but this was way better than Cocaine Bear. It's aiming to be a cult classic film but missed the mark a bit. Also, not that funny which was disappointing but it had some jump scares and gruesome deaths so I was still engaged the whole time.

The film is full of whys. Why does comedy exist in an atmosphere that could have been both mysterious and scary, but has turned into a ridiculous satire? Why does the story focus more on the characters' stupidity than on the development of the story and the origin of the unicorn legend?

If a horror film that is rated R, which is not meant for children, tries to make comedy by showing the clumsiness of the characters, it is actually committing suicide, as far as I can tell.

And many other whys, the most important of which is the poor CGI and the unoriginal design of the unicorn itself. Why does the male unicorn look like a dragon from "Game of Thrones" in profile and a donkey from "Shrek" from the front?!

I watched an advanced screening of Death of a Unicorn (2025) this evening in theaters. The storyline follows a lawyer and his daughter on their way to his boss's mansion, where he hopes to secure a major promotion. However, when they accidentally hit and kill a unicorn on the drive there, what was supposed to be a routine business trip takes a bizarre and deadly turn.

Written and directed by Alex Scharfman in his feature debut, the film stars Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Anthony Carrigan (Gotham), Téa Leoni (Jurassic Park III), Will Poulter (The Maze Runner), and Richard E. Grant (Gosford Park).

This is the definition of Hollywood horror-slick, well-produced, and predictable. The writing has some unique elements but also reminded me of Resident Evil in terms of its sci-fi horror aspects. The CGI is top-notch, and the gore is well-executed, though at times it's a bit overdone. The horror elements are solid, with some entertaining kills and at least one effective jump scare. The cast is excellent across the board, but Anthony Carrigan, as Griff, steals the show. I wasn't a big fan of the ending, but it fits the Hollywood horror formula.

In conclusion, Death of a Unicorn is entertaining enough to keep your attention but won't make anyone's best horror list for 2025. I'd score it a 6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

A good R-rated YA novel with laughs and themes of human weakness. Presentation of the Unicorns needed better animation or more practical substitutes and finesse. Less could've been more since many of the deaths ended up being boring and predictable.

However, I do recommend you see it on the big screen. Sound design, set design and some of these big performances still deserve it. The hot-tub nepo-baby was funny(Poulter) And a certain heroic butler roll was made larger by its actor (Carrigan).

This may not apply to you, but I also found the very end confusing. Seems like someone wrote a cover-up for the first ending they didn't like.

This is movie that without any high expectations delivers. The actors are familiar, fun to watch, and each has their fun moments. Jenna Ortega does well carrying the center and works well with Rudd, who plays himself basically. Carrigan is totally underutilized, his facial expressions from his character are pretty much many of the best parts, Pouter does well also. That being said, there was only so much to do with the outline. It had to go harder in either direction honestly to level up. I would have liked it to up the crazy and absurdity all around, it's a movie about unicorns in modern life so why hold back, ratchet it up.