Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Ortega-Rudd creature feature puts the gore in gory.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Death of a Unicorn
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say this movie blends gory horror with humor, featuring a well-written protagonist who stands up for strong morals. While it has plenty of over-the-top violence and language, it offers memorable characters and a comedic take on fantasy elements, making it a fun watch for mature audiences.
- mature themes
- strong morals
- gory humor
- memorable characters
- comedic fantasy
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
While driving through a nature preserve on their way to an important meeting with pharmaceutical company CEO Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant), Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), accidentally hit and kill a unicorn. While they're trying to figure out how to manage the DEATH OF A UNICORN, they realize that the creature's body is invested with healing properties.
Is It Any Good?
Ortega and Rudd's creature feature is social cinema, a wild concept that might be fun to see with a group of friends but seems less likely to entertain solo viewers. As wacky as it is, kudos to the deep thinking of writer-director Alex Scharfman, who went to the mat in learning the origin of unicorn lore to offer a bit of history in something so fantastical. The wealthy Leopolds are ridiculously and hilariously self-centered, and yet offer some insight into how those in the biomedical field may justify unethical practices in the name of science. With this cerebral grounding, somehow there's substance in the silliness of Death of a Unicorn.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their views on animal testing for medical purposes. What issues does Death of a Unicorn bring to light? How do the issues relate to pharmaceutical companies' need to be profitable?
The idea for the movie started with a question: "What if a father and daughter were on a road trip and accidentally struck a unicorn?" Then the filmmaker researched unicorn history throughout millennia and wrote the script. What elements do you think came from his research? When real history and facts are woven into fictional stories, do you think it enhances the story? Why do you think the idea of unicorns has stayed active for so much of our history?
Are vaping, smoking, or substance use glamorized here? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
The filmmaker calls this an "estate farce." What does that mean? What other movies can you think of where a residence or building plays a role, and what does that mean exactly?
Ridley is ignored or dismissed before the killings start. What can you do when you try to speak up and others refuse to listen? What do you think causes people to be dismissive of others?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 28, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : April 29, 2025
- Cast : Paul Rudd , Jenna Ortega , Richard E. Grant
- Director : Alex Scharfman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Integrity
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violent content, gore, language and some drug use
- Last updated : February 27, 2026
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