‘Death of a Unicorn’ review: Who knew an A24 movie about unicorn revenge would make me cry

A movie about a unicorn getting hit by a car shouldn’t be one of the more poignant looks at grief and loss and yet that is what Death of a Unicorn is. The A24 film is hilarious, violent, and left me significantly more emotional than Will Poulter’s character.

Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) are on their way to visit the Leopold family. Elliot works as a lawyer for Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant) and his wife, Belinda (Téa Leoni). Shepard Leopold (Will Poulter) is a spoiled man who lives a life of luxury with his family and uses it to his advantage when a unicorn is quite literally dropped on their front porch.

A young unicorn accidentally is run over by Elliot and Ridley on their way up to the Leopold estate. Elliot, in a panic, convinces his daughter to bring the unicorn with them and the healing properties of a unicorn are revealed, ushering in a story of revenge, grief, and violent attacks from unicorn horns.

The film is what the trailer sells to you: A weird movie where unicorns are real and they are very angry if you dare touch their child. But it is also deeper than that. Elliot and Ridley are strained because Elliot’s wife passed away, leaving the two alone with Elliot shutting down. He isn’t ready to talk about it with his daughter and just wants them to “pretend” like their family is happy and fine.

Those themes make Death of a Unicorn more than just some horror comedy romp.

If you ever wanted to meet a unicorn, maybe don’t…

In the grand scheme of things, the movie is just a tale of woe. You meet your mythical hero and he’s a jerk. But it is shocking that the film is more than that. If director and writer Alex Scharfman wanted to just make a bloody movie, it would have been just as fun to watch.

But the themes for fatherhood, grief, and a commentary on the insufferable 1% make this movie more than that. The Leopold family is the definition of greed. They have everything they could have wanted but the minute they have the power of a unicorn’s healing blood, they want to use it for their own benefit. They want to somehow get richer.

With Elliot just trying to make enough money to protect himself and his daughter, the quest for money between these adults is fascinating to unpack. All while trying to avoid getting killed by a vicious unicorn who is mad because Elliot hit their baby.

Don’t get me wrong, the violence in this movie is gruesome and hilarious and Will Poulter has so many line deliveries that are going to live rent free in my head for a long while. But I love that this movie also allowed itself to explore grief in the midst of all that chaos. That is kind of what grief can feel like, like you just have too many things all happening at once. Including…unicorns trying to kill you.

With an all-star cast and a hilarious premise, Death of a Unicorn is yet another hit for A24.