Death of a Unicorn

I came to this movie without having watched a trailer. The movie does take a bit of time to set the pieces up for the déroulement of the main story. The issue is that the movie has a few continuity problems, which is due to the fact that the movie has essentially three locations, not counting the airplane in the intro: the woods (and it's surrounding), outside the mansion, inside the mansion. This means that during the rampage, there are times where the unicorn must have taken a coffee break or something because its night time in one scene and the the very next one its midmorning.

I did enjoy Anthony Carrigan's performance as well as Jenna Ortega's.

I won't be too harsh on this movie since it doesn't take itself seriously and all the actors know that but they express their flaws quite brilliantly.

The film is full of whys. Why does comedy exist in an atmosphere that could have been both mysterious and scary, but has turned into a ridiculous satire? Why does the story focus more on the characters' stupidity than on the development of the story and the origin of the unicorn legend?

If a horror film that is rated R, which is not meant for children, tries to make comedy by showing the clumsiness of the characters, it is actually committing suicide, as far as I can tell.

And many other whys, the most important of which is the poor CGI and the unoriginal design of the unicorn itself. Why does the male unicorn look like a dragon from "Game of Thrones" in profile and a donkey from "Shrek" from the front?!

A good R-rated YA novel with laughs and themes of human weakness. Presentation of the Unicorns needed better animation or more practical substitutes and finesse. Less could've been more since many of the deaths ended up being boring and predictable.

However, I do recommend you see it on the big screen. Sound design, set design and some of these big performances still deserve it. The hot-tub nepo-baby was funny(Poulter) And a certain heroic butler roll was made larger by its actor (Carrigan).

This may not apply to you, but I also found the very end confusing. Seems like someone wrote a cover-up for the first ending they didn't like.

This is movie that without any high expectations delivers. The actors are familiar, fun to watch, and each has their fun moments. Jenna Ortega does well carrying the center and works well with Rudd, who plays himself basically. Carrigan is totally underutilized, his facial expressions from his character are pretty much many of the best parts, Pouter does well also. That being said, there was only so much to do with the outline. It had to go harder in either direction honestly to level up. I would have liked it to up the crazy and absurdity all around, it's a movie about unicorns in modern life so why hold back, ratchet it up.

'Death of a Unicorn' is potential-laden, though unfortunately I just never really got my teeth into this one. The whole set-up is severely underwhelming, the whole plot with the rich family just didn't do it for me. It does pick up at the conclusion, which is where I see the potential.

A movie solely about the Kintners and the unicorns could've been ace, especially if it lent into the fantasy side of it; almost if it was (iffy association incoming) 'How to Train Your Dragon'-esque, just with all the gore and death that this 2025 releaes does hold. The final scene, as oddly over the top as it is, shows the promise.

Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega are decent in their respective roles, not that I have any core moments to take from either of them here though. The Leopolds, as much as I wish they weren't in the film, are portrayed well enough by those on the screen, Will Poulter is minorly amusing to be fair.

I'm sure it'll work for a good many, but I can't say it did so for me.