Unicorns are pretty much universally associated with positive things — but what would happen if you got on one’s bad side?
In Death of a Unicorn, a horror comedy starring Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd, we find out — and it’s definitely not sunshine and rainbows.
With a great supporting cast and a lot of hilariously gory twists, this is a fantasy horror comedy you won’t forget.
Watch With Us is here to tell you exactly why you should watch Death of a Unicorn now that it’s streaming on HBO Max, especially if you’re a fan of Ortega’s hit Netflix show, Wednesday.
The Premise Is Deliciously Absurd
On their way to spend a weekend with his boss, Elliot (Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Ortega) get into a bit of a scrape — they hit what appears to be a horse with a horn. (Or, as Ridley points out, “It’s a f***ing unicorn.”)
Upon realizing the animal is still alive, Elliot’s wealthy employers, Odell and Belinda Leopold (played by Richard E. Grant and Téa Leoni), are determined to study its properties. They run a pharmaceutical company, and it soon becomes apparent that the unicorn’s horn and blood have remarkable curative powers. But what also becomes apparent? The unicorn they hit is a baby — and its parents are coming for revenge.
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This horrifying twist on unicorn lore is a wildly entertaining ride.
The Ensemble Cast Is Excellent
Ortega has become one of Hollywood’s reigning horror queens, and her role as Ridley in Death of a Unicorn is no exception. While she and her father, Elliot, have issues, Ridley’s inherent goodness and pure heart are major plot points, and Ortega masterfully balances Ridley’s rough exterior with her kind soul. For his part, Rudd has been doing his adorable-loser thing for decades now — and it still works. His devotion to his daughter is palpable in every scene.
Before Death of a Unicorn, Leoni hadn’t appeared in a film since 2011’s Tower Heist with Ben Stiller. It’s a pleasure to see her back in a feature, especially in such an absurdly funny role. As Belinda Leopold, she plays the ruthless billionaire pretending to have morals perfectly — and so does Grant as her husband, Odell. Also delightfully sinister is the underrated Will Poulter, who plays their ambitious and obnoxious son, Shepard.
The cast’s chemistry helps sell the movie’s larger-than-life story.
It Raises Questions About Ethics in Pharmaceuticals (Yes, Really)
While Death of a Unicorn is not exactly subtle, it does raise some interesting questions about the pharmaceutical industry. Despite Elliot’s early insistence that the Leopolds do good for the world and “don’t just care about pharmaceuticals,” they live in palatial luxury. Their ruthlessness in attempting to profit from the unicorn’s remains is appalling — but it’s complicated by the creature’s healing powers. Its ground-up horn can actually cure cancer. (As Shepard points out, “That’s the biggest one!”)
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What’s the cost of preserving human life? What are we willing to do in the name of science? And is the pharmaceutical industry really helping people — or just enriching itself?
There are a few morsels of food for thought buried beneath all the chaos and gore.
Watch Death of a Unicorn on HBO Max.