Give the capitalist world historical creatures (read that dinosaurs) or mythical ones (unicorns here), and it will try to monetize them in whatever way it can. This is evident in the Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega starrer Death of a Unicorn, where they encounter the incensed mythical creatures after their young one dies by accident. Next thing we know, humans are trying to harvest its healing abilities for self in the name of science, money and illicit substances?
While the monstrosity of the unicorns leaves many bloodied, you’ll see how these creatures are more human than many humans when they are on their killing spree in the A24 film. Despite the horrors, it’s satisfactory to see the rich dying to what they believe can tame like Average Joes in the horse world.
| Editor’s Note |
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| Spoilers of Death of a Unicorn will follow! |
The Mythical Creatures Were Saving Their Friends in Death of a Unicorn
Death of a Unicorn‘s ending sends the lead protagonists, Elliot (Paul Rudd) and Ridley (Jenna Ortega), in the back of a cop car. After Elliot and a unicorn share a gaze towards each other, they understand what’s to follow, almost telepathically. The unicorns are about to wreck this car too. Elliot and Ridley brace for an impact as soon as the mythical creatures barricade the road. The screen turns to black and all we hear is a crashing sound. The mission is a success?
It’s an ambiguous ending that’ll leave you scratching your head if you weren’t paying attention throughout the film, both to the events and to the two stars motivations and arcs throughout the film.
But Why Were They Saving Them?
The film has an entire family of antagonists, the Leopolds. The head of the family and Elliot’s boss, Odell (Richard E. Grant), his son Shepard (Will Poulter), and wife Belinda (Tea Leoni), alongside Elliot and Ridley, are on a weekend at Odell’s estate. But the weekend is soon turned into a nightmare after an accident that almost kills a young unicorn, but the creature is very dead when shot by the family’s personal assistant, Shaw (Jessica Hynes). Or is it? Later, chaos follows, and the young one’s parents are then taking down the malicious ones.
The mythical creatures know which humans come with pure hearts and have no intention of doing evil. But things get a bit complicated as Shepherd and Elliot kill each other. Poor Shepherd, because the unicorns resurrect Elliot alongside their own young one as he chooses to be on the good side in the end, and because they sensed Ridley’s sadness. This transformation of Elliot in Death of a Unicorn is truly among the strongest aspects of the film.
With Elliot having started the film as little more than a leech desperate to get any part of the very ill Odell’s money however he can, even ignoring and neglecting his own daughter, the final moments of the film serve as a redemption arc for the man and character. Having turned his back on the people, company and his old ways, he finally chooses his daughter, and in doing so becomes pure of heart, like his daughter Ridley. It’s for this reason that the unicorns choose not only to resurrect him, but save them both from the cop car at the very end.
Further to this, in an interview with Polygon, writer-director of Death of a Unicorn said:
“These unicorns now have this bond with Ridley and Elliot that will last Ridley and Elliot’s entire lives.”
Elliot and Ridley touched the Unicorn’s horns and connected with them in a way the unicorns weren’t willing to abandon or forget so quickly or easily.
For more Thumb Wars Films and TV Shows coverage, check out what happens at the end of Devil may Cry or see how James Gunn’s Superman pays homage to one of the greatest comic book artists of all time
Anurag Batham is a Writer at Thumb Wars zeroed in on video games but will also throw himself up on anything in association with anime and cinema. As with his favorite video games, give him anything with a linear story, be it Call of Duty or Braid, and he will be happy. He think of stories as food and wants to feed his readers something nutritious, food for thought.
