• Director: Alex Scharfman
• Screenplay: Alex Scharfman
• Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant
• Cinematography: Larry Fong
• Editing: Ron Dulin
• Score: Dan Romer, Giosuè Greco
• Genre: Dark fantasy comedy horror
• Runtime: 107 minutes

Keep your eyes on the wheel while driving. Unless you want to hit a unicorn.

This happens to Elliot (Rudd) on his way to his boss’ estate for a weekend trip, his teenage daughter Ridley (Ortega) in tow. The creature, in pain and oozing purple blood out of the wound, is promptly ended by a thwack from an implement in Elliot’s hand. Ridley is more sympathetic and before the creature’s untimely end, touches its horn and experiences some kind of revelatory mental journey, curing her acne in the process.

They reach the residence – Elliot’s boss, Odell (Richard E. Grant) is dying of cancer. As soon as Odell realises the remarkable healing powers the unicorn brings, we have a house divided. Odell, his wife (Téa Leoni), his brattish son (Will Poulter) and a reluctant Elliot decide to grind the horn down to make a cure. For the good of humanity. Ridley stands as the sole voice of compassion towards the magical creatures.

It runs like a twisted, adult, gory fairytale: over-the-top evil schemers, mystical beings. Heck, there’s a moment where Ridley is wandering through the forest wearing a vermilion hoodie as if she’s Little Red Riding Hood. And the moral takeaway: insatiable greed turns us, the humans, into the monsters.

The unicorns aren’t out of kids’ picture books – don’t expect fluffy ‘My Little Pony‘ types prancing joyfully. When provoked, they’re snarling, ferocious beasts. No horsing around here: they get straight to the point, to the detriment of a few unfortunate people. A schmaltzy ending balances out the bloodshed witnessed onscreen.

My rating: 7 / 10