The unicorn, an enduring symbol in folklore for thousands of years, has often been depicted as a mystical, elusive creature with healing powers and a single majestic horn. From ancient Persia to medieval art and popular culture, this mythical animal has captivated imaginations. However, in Death of a Unicorn, the debut feature from writer-director Alex Scharfman, the unicorn is more of an afterthought than a central figure. Despite the film’s strong backing by A24 and its star-studded cast, it falters under the weight of its derivative premise and underwhelming execution.
The film tackles a familiar theme: a satirical critique of the ultra-wealthy and the excesses of late-stage capitalism, a genre that has seen successes in recent years with films like The Menu, Triangle of Sadness, Knives Out: Glass Onion, Parasite, and the TV series Succession. Scharfman’s approach, however, struggles to add anything new or distinctive. The plot follows Ridley (Jenna Ortega), a disillusioned college student, and her father Elliot (Paul Rudd), a corporate lawyer, as they travel to a retreat in the Canadian Rockies with Elliot’s billionaire boss, Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant), and his family. The Leopolds, a powerful pharmaceutical dynasty loosely inspired by the Sackler family, embody the caricatures of greedy, morally bankrupt oligarchs.
The Leopold family — patriarch Odell, his wife Belinda (Téa Leoni), and their incompetent son Shep (Will Poulter) — are all too familiar. The performances are competent, particularly Poulter’s portrayal of the spoiled son, but the characters’ shallow nature offers little beyond a predictable display of narcissism and entitlement. This lack of depth sets the tone for much of the film, which feels formulaic and uninspired.
Where Scharfman attempts to diverge from the norm is with the introduction of the unicorn, which appears early in the film after Elliot, distracted by a confrontation with Ridley, accidentally hits the creature. The unicorn is left alive but immobile, its blood a vibrant purple. Ridley, isolated and grieving the loss of her mother, quickly bonds with the animal, which takes her on a hallucinatory journey through the cosmos. In stark contrast, Elliot, motivated by financial need, bludgeons the unicorn to death with a tire iron, marking the first of many unsettling moments in the film.
As the film progresses, the Leopold family, along with the estate’s beleaguered staff, tries to hide the true nature of the unicorn, realizing that its blood has the ability to cure everything from acne to cancer. This concept, though intriguing, is underdeveloped and falls victim to the film’s overall lack of originality. The dark satire of the wealthy trying to exploit the creature’s powers is reminiscent of similar critiques in The Menu, but Scharfman fails to bring a fresh perspective to the genre.
Ortega, despite being the film’s lead, is underutilized, though she serves as the film’s grounding force as Ridley uncovers the sinister implications of the unicorn’s existence. Her investigation into unicorn folklore, particularly the iconic medieval unicorn tapestries at the Met’s Cloisters, offers a rare moment of insight, interpreting the unicorns not as innocent symbols of purity but as harbingers of destruction.
The unicorns themselves, once they appear in full force, are depicted as terrifying creatures, capable of violent outbursts and gruesome violence. While Scharfman effectively captures the lavish lifestyle of the mega-wealthy, the film’s creature feature elements lack the creativity or tension needed to make the monster madness compelling. Instead, the film drags, with its moments of absurdity overshadowed by a pervasive sense of boredom.
In its final moments, Death of a Unicorn attempts to pivot toward a more poignant exploration of grief and magical realism. Ridley’s connection to the slain unicorn is portrayed as a metaphor for the way we process loss, with visions of creatures and spirits that may or may not exist. This brief departure from the film’s satirical tone offers a glimmer of emotional depth but is ultimately too fleeting to redeem the film’s more tedious elements.
In the end, Death of a Unicorn feels like a missed opportunity — a film that presents itself as unique but ends up feeling like just another entry in a well-worn genre. It is neither as sharp nor as entertaining as it strives to be, and while it may resonate with those fascinated by mythical creatures, its lack of self-awareness and inventiveness leaves it feeling like a hollow imitation.
Death of a Unicorn premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and will be released in cinemas on March 28.
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