With a title like Death of a Unicorn (2025), it’s hard to know exactly what you’re in for. The directorial debut of producer Alex Scharfman and the latest from beloved indie distributor A24 isn’t too easy to define as a whole either. A quirky mixture of satirical comedy, creature feature horror, and family drama, Death of a Unicorn is a clear product of love, sweat, and tears that’s inspired in its best moments. In its lowest moments, though, it’s not nearly as riotous or original as it aspires to be.
On the way to an important crisis management summit in a remote nature reserve, widowed dad Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill what at first appears to be a small white horse… until it becomes abundantly clear that they’ve just made an actual unicorn into roadkill. After unsuccessfully trying to hide their misdeed from the elite Leopolds, for whom Elliot works as a financier, family patriarch Odell (Richard E. Grant) suggests using the mythical beast for research. They soon discover inexplicable healing properties in the unicorn’s body that could change the face of modern medicine forever. However, the unicorn’s significantly larger, deadly parents are nearby, and they are not happy.
Paul Rudd (Ant-Man, I Love You, Man) and Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream) are great as expected. They don’t step outside of their comfort zone much; Rudd is the affable doofus everyone is used to at this point, and Ortega might as well be reprising her character from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. It’s not as wild a turn from either as, say, Rudd’s magnetic performance in the upcoming Tim Robinson-led comedy Friendship or Ortega’s fraught turn in Ti West’s X. But this isn’t to drag either of them down, as there’s an ironic comfort to these two fan-favorite performers staying in their wheelhouse here. The pair’s familiar archetypes form a nice, reliable anchor for the hysterical antics of Death of a Unicorn.
The ultrarich Leopold family is hit-or-miss, though. Speaking of essentially reprising a role from their past, Richard E. Grant’s Odell Leopold can be seen as a reiteration of his character from Saltburn, only somehow less subtle. Téa Leoni (Madame Secretary) earns as many laughs as she does eye rolls as the Leopold matriarch Belinda, a character obviously designed for the big comedic moments. After a certain point, her part is reduced to an unfunny bit that just repeats itself. Meanwhile, Will Poulter (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Midsommar) turns in the most hilarious performance of the entire film. He plays a fast-talking millennial slimeball so believably that he gets the audience to lean forward with each punchline.
Barry breakout and soon-to-be Superman star Anthony Carrigan earns huge laughs as the Leopold family’s put-upon butler. Other than those already mentioned, everyone else is simply unicorn fodder. Death of a Unicorn is a movie with three conflicting aspects, and the first act, which focuses on satire, is easily the worst. At this point, “eat the rich” narratives must get sharper because it’s old hat. There’s nothing to distinguish the quippy, over-the-top demonstration of evil rich people being, well, evil from the likes of The Menu, Blink Twice, or the aforementioned Saltburn. Writer-director Alex Scharfman feels really uncomfortable in this space, with forced humor having to be carried by capable comedic actors working overtime with this screenplay.
Thankfully, once the Leopold family starts messing around with the dead unicorn’s magical abilities and the creature feature aspects take the forefront, Alex Scharfman locks into his best sensibilities. Reminiscent of Jurassic Park, cinematographer Larry Fong (Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Watchmen) visually sells these inherently ridiculous creatures of legend as terrifying killing machines. The dark silhouette of a massive unicorn skulking around a research center like a predator hunting its prey is genuinely spine-tingling stuff. On top of that, there’s a shocking amount of gore that flows oddly naturally with the nonsensical humor that came before. A moment where two unicorns use their horns together to rip a Leopold employee apart is destined to go viral online.
Of course, none of this works without the impressive creature design on display. In that regard, Death of a Unicorn succeeds with flying colors. The shaggy-furred, predatory unicorns are brought to life mainly through CGI (of which Larry Fong knows how to work into a frame effortlessly), but there is also significant puppetry used. These creatures come off as otherwordly as they are physically threatening. With the audience sold on the titular monsters, the strangeness around them and their magic powers are integrated smoothly into the story. And thank god for that, because if we never go to see Will Poulter snorting a line of ground-up unicorn horn and having a psychedelic experience, it’d be a damn shame.
Moreover, Death of a Unicorn boasts a hefty heart. The vast divide between Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega’s characters, as emotionally distanced father and daughter, offers the opportunity to bring them together through a supernatural experience. Alex Scharfman’s script utilizes a classic Amblin formula, with the horrifying unicorns stomping the way for Elliot and Ridley to heal their wounded relationship. Never does it feel forced or trite. In fact, there are multiple sections during the third act when the tears start to well up. Despite a rough start, Death of a Unicorn captures some serious cinematic magic by the end. If not quite as strong as A24’s upcoming The Legend of Ochi, it’s undeniably effective still.
Death of a Unicorn is no game changer. The comedy is stilted, the “eat the rich” plot is overdone, and yet, it’s an easy movie to like. Writer-director Alex Scharfman brings to life an odd mishmash of a family drama and monster flick that works best when it’s not overthinking the outlandish comedy that connects it together. Whether or not Death of a Unicorn resonates with moviegoers, it accomplishes what it set out to do: making a unique genre adventure with a strong heart that showcases a, for the most part, fantastic cast. Furthermore, it piques interest in what this filmmaker will go on to do next.
Death of a Unicorn premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival and hits theaters on March 28!
Release Date: March 28, 2025.
Directed by Alex Scharfman.
Written by Alex Scharfman.
Produced by Alex Scharfman, Lucas Joaquin, Tyler Campellone, Drew Houpt, Lars Knudsen, Tim Headington, & Theresa Steele Page.
Executive Producers: Ari Aster, Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, David Darby, Jacob Epstein, Nate Kamiya, Lauren Shelton, & Michael Williams.
Main Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Richard E. Grant, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Anthony Carrigan, Jessica Hynes, Sunita Mani, Steve Park, & Kathryn Erbe.
Cinematographer: Larry Fong.
Composers: Dan Romer & Giosuè Greco.
Production Companies: Secret Engine, Monoceros Media, Square Peg, The Royal Budapest Film Co., & Ley Line Entertainment.
Distributor: A24.
Runtime: 104 minutes.
Rated R.
