No assembly RequireD

We all want to believe there is some magic in this world. Sometimes metaphorical and often literal but the fairy tales of our childhood often come crashing down with reality. However there is so much time in history and places in the world we do not know about and in between those moments could perhaps live magic entities and beings. One of those beings is the majestic Unicorn. A magical horse with a shiny horn piercing out of its head. It has fascinated historians and children’s tales for centuries, but one thing we don’t often connect with Unicorns is death. DEATH OF A UNICORN directed and written by Alex Sharman (his first feature film) may seem like the quirky oddball film that dominates A24’s produced filmography (and in many senses it is) but it has much bigger ideas on its mind about death and if we are doing life the correct way. Unfortunately theses ideas are too far scattered and for a film that gets off on the wrong foot (or hoof if you will) it never finds its groove and instead becomes a medley of “eat the rich” (nearly beaten to death at this point) mixed with creature feature horror that comes off more like test footage for “The Lost World.” DEATH OF A UNICORN carries a spring equinox attitude that feels more like a placeholder between movie seasons instead of fully taking advantage of its original concept. Sure not since the 80’s has a unicorn been so prominent in film and yet Sharman doesn’t seem to have the skillset yet to take it as far as it needs to go instead leaving this magical being feeling all too tame.

Ridley (Jenna Ortega) doesn’t want to be here. That is her father Elliot’s (Paul Rudd) rental car as they drive through the Canadien Rockies up to wealthy estate of the Leopold family. Elliot, a lawyer, has been summoned there to work on the will of the dying Odell (Richard E. Grant) and get to know his peculiar family including his wife Belinda (Téa Leoni) and their son Shepard (Will Poulter). It’s a dull work trip that Ridley wants no part of especially due to the Leopold’s uber wealth made through pharmaceuticals. For Ridley this is just another bow down to an oppressive organization and while she may be right the dialogue given to Jenna Ortega to express these opinions feels too much like older man writing for young Gen Z kid. A short of ‘how do you do fella kids” if you will. The footing is already off, and while Ridley misses her mom nothing can prepare her for the full on impact that happens next. With her dad distracted by their argument their car hits something head on. Yes the death of the unicorn arrives early but not before Ridley touches its horn and is sent to some sort of portal that looks more like something you’d see on the screen at a Grateful Dead show. This sense of wonder and calmness she feels is immediately overtaken by Elliot beating the creature to death.

DEATH OF A UNICORN quickly shows its full deck and while it can be exciting at first there is a quick sense that there is little it has left in store. The Leopolds are all exactly the kind of obnoxious and boring rich family that reminds you that while it’s a joy to see rich assholes suffer a monotonous script is a monotonous script no matter who is falling prey. Save for a hysterical Will Poulter and some very extravagant short shorts the Leopolds are just a product of the script rather than fully fleshed monstrous beings. Once the discovery of the unicorn (which is now in the back of the rental car) is made the film goes right where you’d expect any billionaire to goi when it sees a mystical creature. To study it and make drugs from its blood that you can sell. It becomes clear that the unicorns blood cures all ailments from Ridley’s acne to Elliot’s allergies all the way to Odell’s cancer. All this excitement is short lived once it becomes clear this unicorn has a family and that family wants their baby back. Ridley the voice of reason learns of the unicorn’s past through some medieval tapestry that almost makes the film feel like it might enter Midsommar territory (after all Ari Aster is a producer on this) but thankfully it finds its way to some creature feature chase moments. The more exciting of these involving a test lab tent and that overused but always enjoyable dark silhouette of the beast surrounding the tent circling its dinner. Its never fun to criticize a film’s special effects especially with a smaller budget film and in a time when VFX artists are overworked and underpaid. However the unicorn being such a presence in the film brings the whole thing down when it just becomes difficult to look at given how poorly the design is that we are shown. There is a sense that some practical effects were used and yet it was clearly given an overcoat of CGI instead.

It is not until in its final moments where UNICORN decides to go back to its best ideas involving death and life. Ridley has been shown something by the unicorn and while she begs her father to see it too both Elliot and Rudd as a performer are bundled down with the usual oblivious kind hearted father role. It is when the film slows down and focuses on this idea that there is something greater after life that it finds a better handle. It doesn’t suggest get through this life quickly because the after is better but instead allows us to know that there is beauty in life as well as a realm where everything and everyone we have loved in life is waiting for us. UNICORN never ventures into religious territory but it certainly rides the wave of other greater beings at hand. The welcomeness to this concept will surely vary but it certainly is a welcoming feeling elevated by an original score from Giosuè Greco and Dan Romer. Its unfortunate that the rest of the preceding film is never able to find this tranquil balance and instead feels lost in its own creation and much like the Leopold’s spends too much time believing its making a breakthrough when in instead much like its titular unicorn everything else is left for dead.

C

DEATH OF A UNICORN IS NOW PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE