- Jenna Ortega’s new film Death of a Unicorn is out now
- It also stars Paul Rudd, Richard E Grant and Will Poulter
- Is it any good? Its Rotten Tomatoes score is in…
Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd’s comedy horror Death of a Unicorn has hit cinemas and its Rotten Tomatoes score is in.
Rudd and Ortega play Elliot and Ridley, a father and daughter duo that accidentally hit a unicorn with their car.
Read more: The first reactions to Death of a Unicorn are in
Upon learning that this mythical creature has magical healing powers, Elliot’s boss becomes hell-bent on monetizing the unicorn’s unique abilities. Unfortunately, things don’t end well for anyone involved.
A few weeks back, first reactions to the movie started to make their way online after the movie’s SXSW premiere. Opinions appeared mixed, with many unsure what to make of the film.
“With its ambitious gonzo premise, Death of a Unicorn starts off on strong footing, but it’s quickly apparent that the story doesn’t have that many places to go,” offered The Hollywood Reporter‘s round-up.
Read more: Everything we know about A24’s Death of a Unicorn
Cut to a few weeks later and Death of a Unicorn now has an official Rotten Tomatoes score. It also feels a little middling and divided…
Death of a Unicorn Rotten Tomatoes score
As Alex Scharfman’s film hits cinemas, Death of a Unicorn currently holds a critic score of just 57% – leaving it far-from a fresh hit in the eyes of this review aggregator site.
That said, it’s important to note that the film’s popcornmeter score has yet to be confirmed. This means that fans could end up having much more fun with the movie than critics had.
For most critics, it looks like the film simply tried to juggle too much.
“The movie tries to include too many genres—comedy, horror, action, satire, family drama—and does none of them well,” suggests Deep Focus Review.
The premise for Death of a Unicom is so catchy it’s almost enough to carry the movie, especially with Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd riffing off one another,” said Flickering Myth, “but everything is one-note, and it takes its initially funny jokes and beats them like a dead unicorn.”
Meanwhile the Observer focused in on its missed opportunity.
“Though there are glimmers of greatness tucked away in this film, its full potential goes unrealized and this fantastical, pharmaceutical flick ends up surprisingly unmemorable.”
Were there any good reviews?
That’s not to say every review for Death of a Unicorn is bad. Plenty of critics found lots to like in its wild premise.
“There are a lot of genuinely funny moments,” suggested a write up from the Arizona Republic.
Meanwhile, The AV Club called it a “enjoyable enough trifle,” adding that it’s “a novelty with enough oomph behind it to separate it from the truly mercenary parodies.”
Dread Central’s critic also had fun with Ortega and Rudd. “Yes, it’s weird, and some may not buy into its chaos. But for those willing to saddle up and take this ride, it’s a gloriously bloody odyssey about love, family, and the powers that lurk inside unicorn blood.”
