Director: Alex Scharfman
Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Tea Leoni, Richard E. Grant
Screenplay: Alex Scharfman
104 mins. Rated R for strong violent content, gore, language and some drug use.

A24 has been steadily gaining speed on the mainstream market with larger budget films (like Civil War) and a number of successful Oscar runs and nowhere is that more notable than upcoming release Death of a Unicorn. It presents a fascinating question that plays on a familiar moral quandary, then expands upon its narrative as a take on EAT THE RICH. While first-time director Alex Scharfman crafts an interesting ethical dilemma that doesn’t reach the heights he’s aiming for, Death of a Unicorn is still a fun and funny little horror comedy.

When Elliot (Paul Rudd, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega, X) accidentally run over a unicorn in a nature preserve on the way to his boss’s estate, Elliot decides to hide the animal’s body in the back of his vehicle. Upon arriving at the estate, it becomes clear that his boss, a pharmaceutical CEO named Odell (Richard E. Grant, Saltburn) is dying, and when they discover that the unicorn’s body has healing properties, the rich family wants to use it for monetary gain, and they want Elliot to be their new YES man, in opposition to Ridley’s concerns. As the weekend continues, they all discover that the unicorn’s family wants bloody vengeance, and each of them reveals their true intentions when they are beset upon by the mythical creatures.

Scharfman’s satire works well to hint at the ultra-rich and their abuse of the middle-class, especially when danger strikes, but there are still frustrating elements in his screenplay, particularly in the character arc for Elliot. Paul Rudd’s a very capable actor, and Elliot isn’t generally written to be naive, but it becomes quite obvious to him early in the film where his allegiances should lie and yet he’s incapable of learning and evolving until his very last opportunity. Watching his character choices becomes a frustrating viewing experience at times, and perhaps the focus of the film should’ve been more skewed to Ridley and her attempts to make her father see the light, as Elliot becomes a rather unlikable and uninteresting character as the story plays out.

Death of a Unicorn examines the class structure well, though I’ll admit that it is a little been-there/done-that, so it’s a welcome addition when the killer unicorns show up and drop some carnage into the proceedings. Now, there are only so many ways for a unicorn to kill a human, so the onslaught is rather repetitive, but this is where the villainous rich family gets to really shine as they, particularly golden son Shepard (Will Poulter, Midsommar), react to the events as they unfold. From showing his affinity for addictive substances to sharing and then taking the good ideas of others, Shepard is the standout character of the film.

At times, Death of a Unicorn is rather predictable, and its story tends to fall into repetitive and familiar territory, I still laughed more often than not at the lunacy onscreen, and the CG unicorns actually look pretty damn good, especially for a smaller studio. For a first-time director, Scharfman aims high and, while he doesn’t completely succeed, this is an altogether entertaining gem with enough excitement and laughs to make up for some of its shortcomings.

3/5
-Kyle A. Goethe