So like… a unicorn is just a horse with a horn, right?
Sure, the mythical beasts are often associated with other supernatural features in the cryptozoological canon.
In some stories, they soar through the sky via the power of friendship and rainbows.
In others, they grant extended (if cursed) life to the drinker of their sparkly blood.
But at the end of the day its really all about that horn, baby.
The gnarled cranial spikes of these fancy horses tear into flesh and guts with glee.
They flip over various obstacles and hiding spots, revealing tasty human snacks underneath.
Theyre also occasionally ground into a fine powder that functions as a pharmaceutical-grade hallucinogen.
If something can be done with a unicorn horn,Death of a Unicornendeavors to try it out.
That commitment to the bit alone puts this debut effort from writer-director Alex Scharfman firmly into charming B-movie territory.
Even if the plot around the horn-y mayhem largely fails to impress.
The teenaged Ridleys involvement in this trip is as inexplicable as the presence of the unicorns themselves.
Thankfully, the film breezes past that contrivance quickly.
Unbeknownst to them, unicorns have remarkable healing properties.
Whats more, they share something in common with fellow legendary creature Vin Diesel: theyre all about family.
It looks like the shark fin fromJaws,Ortega previously toldDen of Geek.
That comparison proved to be apt.
When it comes to the rest of the storytelling, however the film is less successful.
Elliot and Ridley are simply too generic for even these preternaturally charming, honest-to-goodness movie stars to liven up.
The rest of the cast fares better with their more archetypical roles.
In the end, its a horse with a horn and thats all it needs to be.
Death of a Unicorn premiered at the SXSW Film Festival on March 8.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
