Death of a Unicorn

Studio: A24
Scott Howard

Apr 07, 2025 By Scott Howard Photography by A24 Web Exclusive

Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd’s misadventure with whimsical murder horses hides a brisk satire concerning oligarchic greed and familial survival in a capitalist hellscape. Alex Scharfman does his best writing when exploring the dynamics of the rich exploiting a precious resource to the detriment of an unknown species. Unicorn layers this conundrum with an exploration of what those below must stoop to in order to consume the scraps left behind by the 1%. The uniquely clever premise stands out in a field of films depicting the growing discontent of the lower class, though it slightly misses the mark in its central father-daughter dynamic.

Eliot Kitner is a struggling father desperately trying to secure a strong financial future for his daughter, Ridley, in the wake of his wife’s untimely passing. Eliot labors away for the Leopold family’s pharmaceutical company, hoping to become a chair on the board of its terminally ill CEO, Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant). This comes at the cost of being mentally and physically present for his insightful daughter.

While en route to the family’s generous cut of an estate located deep in the picturesque mountains of a nature reserve, their vehicle strikes a young, foal-like creature heavily resembling a unicorn of legend. The animal is grievously injured, and Eliot takes it upon himself to put it out of its misery, cutting Ridley short of connecting with its otherworldly presence.

After arriving at the Odell estate, they discover that the blood of the unicorn has healed several of their minor bodily imperfections. The Odell family quickly seizes this opportunity to exploit the creature’s body for their own financial gain, despite Ridley’s warnings—unleashing a deluge of gory retribution from the foal’s enraged parent.

Death of a Unicorn unmasks the effect the 1% has on the individuals around them, and the morally dubious decisions everyone makes to survive. All of its characters act as real-world equivalents of people trapped in the corporate cycle of dysfunction, climbing over each other for self-advancement

Ridley serves as the teen who still finds magic in the world, surrounded by adults who can’t help but take this historic discovery and greedily destroy it. Odell is an oligarch who uses his newfound salvation to expand his already ridiculous empire. Belinda Leopold (Téa Leoni) is the matriarch who specializes in selling their image to the public as benevolent billionaires while masking their nefarious ideals

Shepard Leopold (Will Poulter) is the enigmatic trillionaire son who possesses no special talent and sells himself as an “ideas guy,” despite lacking any real intellect—aside from manipulating those around him. Dr. Song (Steve Park) and Dr. Bhahita (Sunita Mani) aim to use their association with the Odells to spitefully further their scientific prowess and support their families Griff (Anthony Carrigan) is the lone outlier: the Odell butler who consistently provides insightful counterpoints to Ridley, seeing the situation clearly, but having his observations consistently ignored by his employers.

This all-star cast of comedic talent elevates the film, embodying their roles as over-the-top and deplorable as possible. Scharfman takes the audience on a wild ride, reveling in violent delights as the principal antagonists are eviscerated in short order. The titular monsters are framed as a force of nature, indicative of the global climate, pursuing villains who double down on their reprehensible actions despite the consequences. The cinematography is crisp and unique, with the CGI never overstaying its welcome—used effectively in both shadow and daylight.

My singular nitpick is that Scharfman’s story of a father and daughter’s relationship is swept away in the grandiosity of its contained narrative.

Death of a Unicorn stuns with great visuals and a pleasurable amount of gore for the horror hounds out there. That said, this is most certainly a comedy, with a deeper allegory at play for those willing to delve beneath the quirky premise. The cast is stellar, the blood is plentiful, and the laughs are doled out in equal measure. There’s a little something for every genre fan in this magically dark fairytale. (www.a24.com)

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