“Death of a Unicorn” was a heart pounding, jump scare inducing and humorous experience. It was full of surprises and jokes for anyone looking for a scare and a laugh at the same time.
The story manages to turn a wacky premise about unicorns into a struggle for survival against vengeful magical monsters. The movie also offers social commentary about greed leading to great consequences, grief and morality. The cast, while small, offered great and believable performances. Even though the ending left some questions on the table, I still enjoyed the movie nonetheless. I think the ending is supposed to leave you guessing, and it’s a way for the community to continuously talk about the movie.
Jenna Ortega who plays Ridley and Paul Rudd’s character Elliot were great protagonists and also kept the story going.
Ridley is definitely the best character in the movie; while she is a realist, she also has a kind heart when she shows empathy for the baby unicorn that got hit by their car. After her dad’s decision to partner with his client, she tries her best to warn him when doing research about the true history of unicorns. This shows despite their differences, she genuinely cares about her dad.
Elliot, Ridley’s father, is also a great character. Although he means well and tries his best to connect with his daughter, he is short sighted and slightly inconsiderate since he brings her on the trip to his boss’s place per the boss’s request. And when they all discovered that the baby unicorn’s horn and blood have healing properties, he accepts his boss’s offer for a partnership to capture the unicorns and profit off their magical healing powers.
The family that Elliot works for, the Leopolds, are rich and powerful people that have an eye for seeking opportunities that benefit them. The son of the family, Shepard Leopold, played by Will Poulter, is the third best character in the movie. He is a smug, privileged and eccentric young man who dabbles as a secondary character and an antagonist. He also has the funniest jokes.
The movie’s scare factor was not only elevating, but kept me on my toes. The monster unicorn’s design is scary and good. The special effects artists did a good job making a mythical creature turn into a mythical monstrosity with their dagger-like horn, sharp teeth, large stature, clawed hooves and jet-black coat. The monster unicorns showed no mercy and their quest for revenge kept my adrenaline pumping.
Overall, this was an amusing and thrilling movie. I certainly recommend this movie to anyone. I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars.
