Death of a Unicorn: Eat the Rich; Or Let the Unicorns Do It

Death of a Unicorn manages something I certainly don't see often: it makes Paul Rudd, universally beloved nice guy, genuinely unlikable. But there's more beneath this quirky satire than simply subverting expectations. It’s a strange, occasionally even absurdist critique of greed, elitism, and human nature.

Paul Rudd plays a Elliot, a widowed father traveling with his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) to meet his obscenely wealthy boss and his eccentric family, the Leopolds, at their remote Canadian wilderness reserve. A routine trip takes a wild turn when they accidentally encounter, and crash into, a unicorn. Once the family discovers that unicorn blood has mythical healing properties, their pharmaceutical empire goes into exploitation mode, gatekeeping the discovery and eliminating anyone who threatens their opportunity at immortality.

The satire isn't subtle. Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant) plays the most self-centered, heinous billionaire type you could possible imagine. Elon Musk is probably jealous. The critique of corporate greed might feel too on-the-nose for some, but it hits home precisely because reality has become so absurdly hard to parody. When an unelected billionaire and convicted felon president defund science research and fire tens of thousands of civil servants for no cause, fictional billionaires hoarding magical unicorn blood somehow doesn't seem all that far-fetched.

Despite the dark themes, the film keeps a sharp comedic edge, especially through Will Poulter’s standout performance as Shepherd Leopold, the eldest boy and biggest idiot. Poulter shines playing yet another absurdly confident character who has absolutely no business feeling that way. Whether he's investing in doomed business ventures, harassing the beleaguered butler Griff, or gleefully snorting ground-up unicorn horn like cocaine, Poulter brings a charm that cuts through the darker elements. This family is basically the Bluths from Arrested Development.

If there’s a missed opportunity, it’s that Death of a Unicorn could have dared to push even harder. The movies feels intentionally made to both entertain and provoke reflection, but it ultimately chooses a safe landing.

Death of a Unicorn offers the kind of storytelling that’s weird enough to feel distinctly A24, funny enough to spark genuine laughs from me, and pointed enough to resonate in today's world.