Richard Crouse

SYNOPSIS: Near the beginning of “Death of a Unicorn,” a new horror comedy now playing in theaters, father and daughter played by Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, hit a unicorn with their car on the way to the home of terminally ill pharmaceutical CEO Odell Leopold. They bring the roadkill to Leopold who wants to exploit the animal’s magical, curative powers. “It’s an opportunity for immortality,” he says. As the research begins, however, the unicorn’s parents seek revenge on those responsible the death of their foal.

CAST: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant. Directed by Alex Scharfman.

REVIEW: The “divine monsters” of “Death of a Unicorn” are vengeful creatures who toss their victims around like human piñatas and use their horns to disembowel those who get on their wrong side.

In other words, “Unicorn Academy” this ain’t.

What it is, is an uneven movie that folds family dynamics into a slasher style flick. It begins as a story about a father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) navigating the rocky relationship left between them after the sudden death of their wife/mother but soon turns satiric in its condemnation of the super wealthy/pharmaceutical industry, and ultimately, a moderately gory display of blood and guts.

Imagine a cross between “Aftersun,” “The Menu” and “Jurassic Park” and you’ll get the idea.

The disparate parts are held together by a talented cast. Rudd brings his trademarked charm as the goofy dad, a guy willing, but unprepared, to risk everything to save his daughter. Ortega brings echoes of her “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” performance, but, as a character named Ripley, delivers a pretty cool “Alien” tribute.

Like the film’s other elements, their relationship is kind of one note, but it’s a pretty good note and they spark off one another.

The comedic trio of Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni and Will Poulter as the ruthless pharmaceutical family embody the charitable gentility of the ultra-rich, a guise that quickly falls away when the chips are down. Somehow Grant even manages to take the persnickety rich guy character of “Saltburn” up a notch or two here.

The five of them—plus an underused Anthony Carrigan—form a fun ensemble but are let down by a script that offers a few funny lines, but not enough connective tissue between its daddy/daughter storyline, the morally corrupt Leopold family and nature attacks ingredients to really come to a boil.