Death Of A Unicorn

The concept alone had me hooked, and Death of a Unicorn stayed near the top of my list for films to watch this year. There’s something about it—over the top, strange, and not tethered to any pre-existing franchise—that made it feel refreshing. The cast is a blast; I’m always here for Richard E. Grant, and even a lackluster A24 film usually delivers a decent experience.

Sadly, Death of a Unicorn falls just short of that mark, and it all comes down to one fatal flaw: CGI. Credit where it’s due—writer-director Alex Scharfman gave it a shot—but the effects used to bring the unicorn to life are flat, rubbery, and a major disappointment. It’s a shame, really, because there was potential here. Unicorn is a quarter of the title here, and if they’re not believable, the whole film falters—and that’s exactly what happens. The effects are lazy and uninteresting.  There’s an attempt to bring the beasts to life in a Jim Henson-style fashion, but the odd, lifeless, and uninspired designs ultimately drag the film down in scope and feel. 

The plot is fun, light-hearted, and attempts to make political and socially conscious statements that stick with you. It’s a violent, gothic horror farce in the vein of classic ‘80s flicks like Fright Night or Evil Dead II, but it never quite reaches the level of a great camp horror movie.