Well, I do not know why did I watch it. But it was trending in Pakistan, and I know Jenna Oretage - Ridley in the movie - from "Wednesday" series. And then there is this legend - Will Poulter, from "We're the Millers."
"You guys are getting paid?"
Reason for justification? Because this movie is crap. Even kids show have more fun than this.
| Financial Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $15 million |
| Worldwide Box Office | $16.4 million |
| Domestic Box Office (US/Canada) | $12.9 million |
| International Box Office | $3.5 million |
| Gross Above Production Budget | $1.4 million |
| Estimated Profit/Loss | Likely loss |
Director: Alex Scharfman.
Release Year: 2025.
Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy.
Now other than fantasy, somewhat absurdist humor, that too I am giving it an edge because I am a kind soul; there is nothing in it.
The Plot.
The stoy revolves around Elliot, a lawyer working for a wealthy pharmaceutical companu, and his teenage daughter, Ridley. Personal opinion, I do not know, how is he a lawyer. Like lol! But hey, this proves the comedic part, I guess. Now, they are travelling to a remote retreat owned by Elliot's employer. On their way, the father hits a unicorn. Initially confused by what they have encountered, they soon discover that the creature is real and possesses extraordinary biological properties - even the cure for cancer. And when these extraordinary and unusual abilities become known, the situation attracts the attention of Elliot's wealthy boss, Odell, and his family. Their capitalist nature gets a new life, as they see the discovery as a potentially life changing business opportunity.
Then comes the strange comedy and increasingly violent chain of events as the they, other than Ridely, try to exploit the unicorn's remarkable properties for their own benefit. And their pursuit of wealth and power soon brings consequences that nobody seems prepared for. As said earlier, Ridley develops a different perspective on the creature - the unicorn. She questions the inhumane, maybe true human nature, of the adult's willingness to treat a living being as nothing more than a valuable resource. By the end, the family is dead; and Ridley's father is saved by the unicorns. Nothing special.
Why is this a big fail?
I do not even have anything to go with the analysis, so let me answer this question. Yes, I can hate on capitalism and love on animal rights, but there is not depth.
Weak execution.
The concept is good, especially for kids. However, it is listed as 18+ for violence, drugs and strong language. A big flaw I say, they might have turned it well with the kids approach. The plot is linear, easily predictable, even the dialogues, and nothing unique to mention.
No message at all.
So, the central message is that greedy capitalists will exploit anything if there is money to be made, even a magical creature. Good enough. But the movie rarely moves beyond that basic observation. The wealthy family is greedy, the unicorns are extraordinary and the consequences follow.
The comedy and the horror does not complement each other.
I have few examples from Bollywood, Bhool Bhaliya as example. There is this horror stuff, and then, the brain rot content. The purpose of saying is simple: these two genres have to complement each other. And this movie has failed in doing so.
In the end, my only question is: do writers even read after writing such stuff? Maybe on the paper it feels good, so maybe it is the execution problem. And do the producers and directors know what they are making? And what about the characters?
Ratings as of now:
| Rating Source | Rating |
|---|---|
| IMDb | 5.8/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 54% |
| Metacritic | 54/100 |
| Personal Rating | 50/10 |
Peace 🕊️
Rating: 50/100
