Movie Review: Death Of A Unicorn

You already know I have a soft spot for A24 movies, so the moment I saw the trailer for Death of a Unicorn back in 2024, I was sold. A killer unicorn? Dark fantasy? Comedy horror? Sign me up immediately. The only other time I’ve seen a murderous unicorn was that iconic blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in The Cabin in the Woods, so the idea of an entire movie built around that concept had me genuinely excited.

Unfortunately, Death of a Unicorn never made it to Malaysian cinemas, which was honestly such a missed opportunity. I kept checking showtimes throughout 2025, hoping it would magically appear, but no luck. So when it finally dropped on HBO Max towards the end of the year, I watched it almost immediately.

The setup is absurd in the best way possible. A father and daughter accidentally kill a unicorn on their way to a billionaire’s retreat, only for the situation to spiral when the creature’s miraculous regenerative properties become a commodity. It’s very A24-coded — strange, slightly uncomfortable, darkly funny, and leaning heavily into satire about greed and exploitation.

To be completely honest, the movie was… okay. Not mind-blowing, not disappointing either. The formula feels familiar, especially if you’ve watched enough A24 genre films, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The gore is definitely there (thankfully), and when the movie leans into its horror-comedy elements, it really works.

That said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the pacing was a little too slow for my taste. There were moments where I wished the film would just push forward and fully embrace the chaos of its premise. A killer unicorn is such a wild concept, and at times it felt like the movie was holding itself back just a little too much.

Still, I really enjoyed the overall experience — and I loved the ending. It wrapped things up in a way that felt satisfying, dark, and very on-theme with the movie’s message. Plus, I’m always here for mythical creatures being portrayed as absolute killing machines. That will never not work for me.

All things considered, Death of a Unicorn is a solid, entertaining watch with a unique premise, some good gore, and a memorable ending — even if it takes its time getting there.

I’m giving this movie a 7/10.