The A24 movie schedule can always be counted on to provide films with unique concepts and unsettling situations (just look at A24’s best horror movies). Its next offering on the 2025 movie calendar certainly seems to fit both of those criteria, as the horror-comedy Death of a Unicorn hits the big screen on March 28. Critics screened the movie ahead of its release, and they agree the cast is the most magical element of Alex Scharfman’s directorial debut.
The movie stars Paul Rudd as Elliot and Jenna Ortega as his daughter Ridley. Their weekend trip to Elliot’s boss’ estate takes a turn when they hit (and seemingly kill) a unicorn, and things turn bloody when the pharma billionaires try to exploit the creature’s magic. In CinemaBlend’s review of Death of a Unicorn, Nick Venable has a few gripes but says the scene-stealing Leopolds (particularly Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan’s characters) compensate for them. He gives the movie 4 out of 5 stars, writing:
Despite any lows tied to narrative explanations and visual effects, however, Death of a Unicorn is indeed wildly successful when viewed specifically for its horror-comedy elements. The laughs are sharp and plentiful, and the gore is gross and masterful, often coinciding during the same scenes.
Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant agrees that Will Poulter steals the show and is “a delight at every moment.” Death of a Unicorn avoids digging into its more serious subject matter, but the cast works well together. The critic gives this crowd-pleaser 7 out of 10 and says::
The film prioritizes the comedy and gore over everything else. Don’t get me wrong, comedy is one of the film’s best qualities, but it’s also a hindrance because it doesn’t let up enough to make room for more meaningful interactions. Despite this, Death of a Unicorn is incredibly entertaining. It's weird and a bit goofy (in the best way), with a satisfying ending and character interactions that are off the wall. The creature design is excellent and I was breathtaken when we got close-ups of the unicorns. They're majestic and horrifying at once.
Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gives Death of a Unicorn 3 out of 4 stars, noting its Jurassic Park vibes. While its commentary on grief and greed is a bit undercooked and the CGI is a little “janky,” Tallerico says, the performances save the day. By the time the film turns into a slasher, any issues with the visual flaws are forgotten. The critic continues:
Every member of this film’s ensemble understood the assignment, elevating this unique creature feature from just another disposable Jurassic Park riff into something memorable through their comic timing and group chemistry. From Téa Leoni’s ability to hit a punchline to Richard E. Grant’s remarkable exuberance to what Anthony Carrigan can do with just a glance, there’s great joy in just watching this group of performers do their thing in Death of a Unicorn, a movie that recalls monster flicks from the ‘70s and ‘80s with brutal quality kills placed in a tapestry of social commentary and funny characters.
Some critics, however, don’t think the cast’s efforts are enough to save it. Jacob Oller of AV Club gives it a C+, saying there’s some gory fun to be had here, but it falls short in its attempts at establishing a connection between Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd’s characters. Oller writes:
There’s still a surprising amount of filler, with Ortega left out to dry. ... Rudd also struggles in his role, unable to be slimy enough to believably go along with the Leopold plot. He feels miscast around other actors more than happy to ham up their villainy, especially Poulter, who steals the film with his matter-of-fact proclamations. Barry standout Anthony Carrigan makes the most of rolling his eyes as the family’s down-to-earth butler, but there’s very little class commentary here. This boneheaded movie’s got a dull point, but at least a lot of rich jerks get murderized by fanged, stab-happy unicorns.
Bill Goodykoontz of the AZ Republic rates the film 3 out of 5 stars, saying it’s less than the sum of its parts. Death of a Unicorn is gory and funny with a cast that keeps things running. It’s just not a great movie. The critic says:
A great cast elevates an uneven story that never quite decides what it wants to be. A treatise on greed and late-stage capitalism in which profits trump all? Sure. A gory-as-all-get-out comedy-horror movie? That, too. And maybe a little family drama thrown in for good measure, while we’re at it. Not that there is anything wrong with a movie that incorporates a lot of different moods and feelings. It’s just that Death of a Unicorn doesn’t blend the elements as much as partition them off from each other.
Critics seem to agree that the upcoming Jenna Ortega movie gets the job done in terms of satisfying kills and comedic performances, but between under-developed plots, questionable CGI and a father-daughter relationship that largely misses the mark, they’re split on the movie overall. This is reflected on Rotten Tomatoes, where it stands at 59% on the Tomatometer.
Any less-than-favorable views on Death of a Unicorn shouldn’t keep moviegoers from checking it out. Nearly all of the opinions I read praised Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan as scene-stealers of an overall-excellent cast, so feel free to draw your own conclusions when this A24 film hits theaters on Friday, March 28.
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