Humor is famously subjective, and nowhere is that more apparent than in dark comedies. I watched Death of a Unicorn with a friend who remained largely stone-faced—though I found the jokes landed quite comfortably.

Alex Scharfman makes his directorial and writing debut with this chaotic tale, in which a unicorn exacts revenge on the greedy elite—namely, the Leopold family. Brace yourself for a gory rampage—this unicorn does not hold back. The creature’s “velociraptor-like” pursuits of its victims are staged with surprising flair, blending horror and absurdity in wildly entertaining ways.

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What truly anchors the film are two standout performances by Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. Rudd plays a bookish, socially awkward widower who, within minutes of the film, accidentally runs over a unicorn. In the passenger seat is his unconventional, recalcitrant daughter, played wonderfully by Ortega. She deftly balances the grief of losing her mother with the wonder of forming a magical bond with a fantastical creature. Rudd and Ortega share heart-warming chemistry, and their scenes provide emotional grounding amidst the blood-soaked absurdity.

Outside of these two performances, the supporting characters feel more like cartoonish caricatures. That said, they still manage to land their laughs and deliver the jokes effectively—perhaps even more so because of their exaggerated nature.

My biggest gripe with the film is its predictability—after watching the trailer, it wasn’t hard to piece together how the plot would unfold. When I watch films of this ilk, I prefer to be surprised and kept in suspense. Death of a Unicorn didn’t quite deliver on that front. Even so, it remained a fun, engaging ride throughout.

While Death of a Unicorn may ultimately land in the “B-movie” category, I found it very enjoyable. Its genre-blending chaos—part comedy, part horror, part fantasy—makes for a uniquely wild cinematic experience.  And, depending on your taste in humor, it might just be your kind of weird.

Grade: B+

About The Peetimes: It wasn’t hard to find good Peetimes, but it does take awhile before I could find the first one.

Both the first and second Peetimes are solid with the third one to be used only in emergencies.

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There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Death of a Unicorn.

Plot
Father-Daughter duo Elliott and Ridley hit a unicorn with their car and bring it to the wilderness retreat of a mega-wealthy pharmaceutical CEO.