A Morte de um Unicórnio

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.

I got to see an early screening and it was as expected, campy, gory with comedic elements. It was a good popcorn movie. Some people complained that it was stupid which I don't get because its a movie about unicorns... So of course its a bit dumb, that's the point.

I compare it to Cocaine Bear (2023) because they are both marketed to be a silly comedy with violence, but this was way better than Cocaine Bear. It's aiming to be a cult classic film but missed the mark a bit. Also, not that funny which was disappointing but it had some jump scares and gruesome deaths so I was still engaged the whole time.

'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.

Death of A Unicorn is theoretically a horror-comedy underpinned by thematic denunciations of greed and environmental exploitation. The horror is essentially non-existent, the comedy is trite and predictable, and the thematic moralizing is as deep as a puddle. This isn't overtly bad or insulting; but it is stale and flaccid. The movie's one saving grace, such as it is, is a likeable cast that includes Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter and Tea Leoni. They all seem to be trying hard to make something out of a script that didn't merit their talents, and their charisma makes you want to like the movie more than it deserves.

I love horror comedies and am ecstatic with the surge of movies we've seen in this subgenre. But most are lacking on the horror side. They're more fun than scary. Death of a Unicorn does the horror side well. There are a few moments that gave me OG Jurassic Park vibes with the tension/suspense.

The comedy side is strong but inconsistent. Some attempts I found hilarious while others fall flat, but not to the point of cringe. I enjoyed the entire cast as well as the visually unique characters.

I do want to point out a couple standouts. One is, to no one's surprise, Jenna Ortega. She has become a full-blown star and has taken the mantle of horror queen like none other. And Will Poulter, once known as the weird eyebrows dude from We're the Millers, continues to impress with vastly differing characters.

I had a fun time with this movie and think most fans of the subgenre will as well.

(1 viewing, opening Thursday Dolby Cinema 3/27/2025)