Death of a Unicorn (2025)

Death of a Unicorn is the kind of misfire that feels like it started with a compelling pitch but never found its footing in script or tone. It has the potential to be a midnight movie curiosity for some, but for most, it’s likely to be a forgettable experiment. This is one A24 project that stumbles far from the high standards the studio has set for itself—and feels far closer to Tusk or Heretic than to The Lighthouse or Uncut Gems. A few moments of bizarre creativity can’t rescue it from its fundamental problems.

‘Death of a Unicorn’ Movie Review

Death of a Unicorn is undeniably unique—but that novelty alone doesn’t make it a good movie. Directed by Alex Scharfman and distributed by A24, the film takes the myth of the unicorn and twists it into a grotesque creature feature. It reimagines these typically majestic, gentle beings as savage killers, blood-splattering monsters with a thirst for vengeance. That creative pivot is about the only thing working in the movie’s favor, because beyond the shock value of its premise, Death of a Unicorn struggles mightily with execution.

At the center of the film is a father-daughter duo, Paul Rudd as Elliot and Jenna Ortega as Ridley, en route to a remote luxury retreat hosted by Elliot’s billionaire boss, Odell Leopold (played by Richard E. Grant). Their weekend takes a bizarre turn when they hit a young unicorn with their car. Soon after, Ridley’s acne mysteriously clears up and Elliot’s lifelong allergies vanish. They chalk it up to the unicorn’s blood, and with the encouragement of the Leopold family, begin exploring its potential as a miracle cure. The unicorn’s family, however, has other plans—and what unfolds is a horror-comedy where the unicorns aren’t the endangered species, the humans are.

This could have worked, in theory. A genre-bending creature flick with a unique concept and a stacked cast, backed by a studio like A24? It’s the kind of logline that sparks curiosity. But in practice, Death of a Unicorn can’t seem to decide what kind of movie it wants to be—and in trying to do everything, it ends up doing very little well. The horror doesn’t land because the kills, while bloody, are often poorly lit and badly rendered. The unicorn CGI is distractingly rough, and the framing of these creatures within the film’s otherwise upscale, clinical environments feels jarring—in a bad way.

Worse still, the comedy and satire lack bite. There’s an attempt at skewering the ultra-wealthy, corporate greed, and the exploitation of natural resources, but it’s all surface-level. The script never digs deep enough to say anything meaningful, and the attempts at humor often fall flat, wavering awkwardly between goofball absurdity and misplaced self-seriousness. Rudd, normally dependable in comic roles, feels miscast here as a dad driven by selfish gain, and the supporting cast of elites is written in such broad, predictable strokes that they never become interesting beyond their archetypes.

Death of a Unicorn fits into A24’s recent run of more accessible, genre-heavy fare like Opus, Heretic, and Ti West’s X, Pearl, and MaXXXine trilogy. While the studio has proven it can thrive in horror—Hereditary, The Witch, and Saint Maud being standout examples—this one falls closer to the misfires. It’s not just that the film leans into self-parody; it’s that it doesn’t seem confident in what it’s parodying or celebrating. It’s not funny enough to be camp, not scary enough to be horror, and not sharp enough to qualify as satire.

READ MORE MOVIE REVIEWS: Last Breath, Love Hurts, A Working Man

Ultimately, Death of a Unicorn is the kind of misfire that feels like it started with a compelling pitch but never found its footing in script or tone. It has the potential to be a midnight movie curiosity for some, but for most, it’s likely to be a forgettable experiment. This is one A24 project that stumbles far from the high horror standards the studio has set for itself—and feels far closer to Tusk or Heretic than to The Lighthouse or Uncut Gems. A few moments of bizarre creativity can’t rescue it from its fundamental problems.

Score: 4/10