Death of a Unicorn – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Death of a Unicorn – The Magic of Horns / A Desire for Blood

What is a story if not a place where … anything is possible.  When you think of what can be, it is a matter of ideal, circumstance and intrigue.  What pulls at your interest is a dime a dozen, but every so often the allure of something ‘different’ doesn’t always mean … good.  For film, it is a visual prowess that will touch upon the thought of escape.  From premise to execution, it becomes a manner of … will I have fun.  In this review, I look at the latest dark comedy/fantasy-like film.  From the start of an intriguing concept, the journey weaves through its tale with a sense of awe and familiarity.  Even as the obvious reigns supreme, Death of a Unicorn is a twist of fantasy, where the magic becomes … deadly.

When an unexpected accident happens, a group of individuals must figure out the best course of action … before fantasy turns into a night of death.  With film, there are many ways to turn concepts into an enjoyable experience.  This becomes true with specific genres, especially a blending of multiple.  When dropped into a creative realm, what becomes true is execution.  With this film, it falls on the idea of … do you believe in Unicorns.  In the beginning, we are thrust into this tale by following a father and daughter who are traveling to a wilderness resort in Canada.  The father, Elliot (Paul Rudd) is trying to get into the good gracious of his bosses while also using the trip as a way to bond with his daughter, Ridley (Jena Ortega).  Within the first few minutes, tragedy strikes when they hit an animal.  From here, the film barrels through general sequences of additional character introductions, which includes the Head of the Leopold Estate, Odell (Richard E. Grant), wife Belinda (Tea Leoni) and son, Shepard (Will Poulter) (You can view the rest of the cast at the film’s IMdb Page – link).  Once the players are set, predictable sequences play out that reveal the breed of the ‘dead’ animal … it is a unicorn.  From here, we move into a second act that plays with the surreal motif through the dark comedy stature of conversations.  For all the abstract elements, it is the quick-witted conversations that drive the experience, like Elliot and Ridley clashing over the unicorn or the Leopolds’ intrigue of ‘profit’ over the creature.  These conflicts build through a fallout that lifts the unique aesthetic beyond its predictable script, creating an allure that slowly melds the fantasy/dark comedy with the harms of human behavior (lust, personal gain and vanity).  This leads to another genre element slowly seeping into the film (horror) which comes with the revelation of more unicorns in the wild.

As things continue to unravel at the wilderness retreat, the bantering of promise turns deadly when the other fantastical creatures come to retrieve the ‘dead’ body.  This layer of horror adds another level of shock to the witty dialogue and obscure humor, creating a new grip to the twisted fantasy.  As things become ever too real, Elliot and Ridley must decide on their best course of action.  As bodies begin to pile up, we head into a third act that brings all to light through a reflective climax and an ambiguous epilogue.  Death of a Unicorn builds from a unique concept to become an enjoyable experience.  If you are a fan of dark comedies, fantasy or a twist of horror, there is fun to be had in this film.  I think there is enough here to have a good time at the theaters.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)