A24 unleashes mythical beasts in their newest film, Death of a Unicorn. Written and directed by Alex Scharfman and produced by Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar), the horror comedy is a bonkers fairy tale with a stellar ensemble.
The film follows Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega), who are traveling to the remote estate of his affluent boss, Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant), for the weekend. On the way, they hit something and are shocked to discover that it is a unicorn.
Though bewildered by the events, Elliot insists they continue as if nothing happened in an attempt to impress the Leopold family. But their little accident inevitably leads to a pretty monstrous face-off.
The film presents a dark twist on a classic fairy tale. It delves into the folklore surrounding unicorns, which adds depth to the story. This background helps explain the unicorns’ surprisingly fierce demeanor. It’s amusing to see these creatures, typically associated with rainbows and butterflies, portrayed as aggressive.
It’s often quite ridiculous, but I felt they did a good job making it playful rather than slapstick. The sharp script also allows the cast to shine, and it’s a wonderful cast.
The film also stars Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Anthony Carrigan, Jessica Hynes, Sunita Mani, and Steve Park, providing plenty of targets for furious magical creatures.
Poulter was an absolute standout, delivering fantastic comedy as a very arrogant, spoiled rich kid with a lazy entrepreneurial spirit. He leans into it so well and provides more bold humor with a side of snark.
On the opposite end, we get a more deadpan wit from Kerrigan’s character Griff, the Butler, who ends up being one of my favorite characters. His performance is more subtle, as he emerges unexpectedly in scenes.
While the film is loads of fun with chaos and hijinks, I found there to be a very important message of how humans steal and destroy pureness from the world for their own selfish gain. I do wish that they had slightly leaned into that moral lesson a bit more, but I can also understand that they maybe didn’t want the film to come across as preachy.
Some other aspects could be hits and misses with different people. There are a few areas where it dragged slightly, especially once we’re in the thick of the madness. However, this wasn’t significant enough to feel that it detracted from my overall enjoyment.
The same can be said for the CGI. There are moments when the unicorns appear somewhat unfinished, but I didn’t mind it too much as it fits the absurdity of the film. It was also produced on an impressively low budget of $15 million. On the positive side, the practical effects are excellent, especially during some of the… let’s say, impalements. Though, I expect nothing less when Aster is tied to a project.
I found Death of a Unicorn to be such a mythical delight. It’s a whimsical horror comedy that I had a total blast with, and I think if you enjoy films that are a bit silly and a little out there, then this one is for you.
Death of a Unicorn is in theaters now
Jordy Reviews It 
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