I'm genuinely convinced that A24 can't make a bad film. As much as people may say otherwise, I haven't seen one underwhelming offering from them yet, and "Death of a Unicorn" didn't break that for me. First, the actors were all solid. Granted, they cast Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Will Poulter, and Téa Leoni, all talented, so what else did I expect? Ortega continues to show her undeniable power as an actress. Even if her movie is not good, say "Miller's Girl," she always manages to be the best part of said film. Ortega's Ridley is easily the most charismatic and relatable character who understands the circumstances, although it revolves around killer unicorns. Speaking of which, if you're watching this to see some glorious unicorn carnage, disappointment won't be in your future! The threat of the unicorns is very felt, and these sequences are both amusing and scary. The narrative never ceases to intrigue. While it has issues, I was always interested in how the story would develop and how the characters handled the situation. In addition, Alex Scharfman's screenplay (and directing) contain many comedic moments, and the pacing never drags. I only have one major issue with this film, and it's the dumb character decisions. When they don't make sense, I take issue with it. Here's an example that doesn't spoil it, which was in the trailers. The people of the Leopold Reserve discover that unicorn blood can cure cancer and attempt to capitalize on it. In the words of the great Ian Malcolm, "...your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should." It's funny that I use that quote since this is better than all of the current Jurassic Park sequels. Rebirth isn't out yet. Back on topic, there were numerous times characters made the worst decision, either regarding the situation or the other characters, and they started within the first ten minutes. Overall, "Death of a Unicorn" was highly entertaining. If it wasn't for the captivating involvement of actors like Ortega, it sure was the killer unicorns. Technically, the acting, directing, screenplay, stunning CGI, and Larry Fong's cinematography make the technical score an easy 9/10. For the enjoyment score, I can't look past the dumb character decisions, but they're not enough to ruin the film. The chaotic fun surrounding this problem makes for a 7/10 experience. It was a wildly satisfying delight worth watching!

See other user reviews