Death of a Unicorn has debuted with a strong Rotten Tomatoes score. Written and directed by Alex Scharfman in their feature debut, A24’s new horror comedy follows a father and daughter who accidentally hit and kill a unicorn with their car on their way to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss intends to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties, and the unicorn’s mate shows up to slaughter everyone involved. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega lead Death of a Unicorn‘s cast alongside Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant.

Now, following its premiere at the South by Southwest Festival on March 8, Death of a Unicorn has debuted with a strong 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie only has around 20 reviews at the time of writing, so the score is expected to fluctuate as more are published. Its audience score should also begin to take shape after it releases in theaters later this month.

What Death Of A Unicorn’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Means For The Movie

What Are The Reviews Saying?

Death of a Unicorn‘s Rotten Tomatoes score means that its early reviews are mostly positive. For instance, in ScreenRant‘s Death of a Unicorn review, Mae Abdulbaki writes that “A24’s carnage-filled creature feature is as weird and fun as it gets… Death of a Unicorn is the kind of film that’s happy to take us on a bloody, uproarious ride and I was more than willing to let it.” Overall, many critics are praising the film’s absurd and gory spectacle.

However, the critical response may be more divided than it would seem, as many find the film to be lacking in execution. Critics are comparing Death of a Unicorn to Jurᴀssic Park and Cocaine Bear, highlighting its blend of monster mayhem and satire, though some feel its tonal shifts don’t always land. Critics also appreciate its anti-capitalist themes, dark humor, and bold violence, but detractors argue it’s either too messy or not self-aware enough. Its performances, especially Will Poutler’s, are also earning some praise.

Our Take On Death Of A Unicorn’s Rotten Tomatoes Score

A24 Horror Comedies Rebound In 2025

2024 was an incredibly strong year for A24, with their epic period drama, The Brutalist, winning three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Adrien Brody, and several other films, such as Sing Sing and A Different Man, also receiving Oscar nominations. However, their 2024 horror comedies, The Front Room and Y2K, weren’t received well by critics, earning 41% and 43% Rotten Tomatoes scores, their two lowest of the year. In turn, Death of a Unicorn‘s solid Rotten Tomatoes score represents a much-needed rebound for A24 horror comedies in 2025.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes