Death of a Unicorn, a comedic horror film, premiered March 28,starring Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, and Will Poulter. The movie follows Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley Kintner (Jenna Ortega) on a drive to a job interview for a position to permanently take over the pharmaceutical business of a dying millionaire. Viewers are introduced to this troubled relationship while also shown a foreboding cave.
As they rush to the interview, they accidentally hit a unicorn with their car, one which Ridley immediately forms a connection with. Unbeknownst to them, the unicorn’s blood has magical healing properties. The unicorn is taken to the dying millionaire and his family.
Once they learn of the unicorn’s magical healing properties, they immediately try to conjure ways to capitalize off of the blood and sell it for the most profit, much like the United States healthcare system. The family holds the unicorn hostage while selling its blood. As demand for the blood increases, it is offered only to the wealthiest people to try and make the most profit from the blood instead of trying to save people who need it the most.
This movie is a satirical representation of the healthcare system in the United States and the healthcare disparity between social classes and race. At the very beginning of the movie, Elliot discusses the pharmaceutical interview he is applying for as a charitable enterprise that specialized in philanthropy. To this, his daughter says, “philanthropy is reputation laundering for the oligarchy,” setting the mood for the entire movie. The “idealism” the movie presents is challenged by already implying that a charitable organization made “for the good of people” is corrupt.
There are two perspectives shown in this movie aside from the exploitative perspective of the rich. Elliot is prey to accepting what is told to him by his boss, the now alive and well millionaire, while actually being manipulated by him. He ignores the pleas of his daughter who warns him that something is not right throughout the whole movie. However, his need for wealth and a good reputation clouds his judgement until the end of the movie, at which point shows “man’s inherent corruption” foreshadowed by Ridley earlier in the movie.
The point of this satirical film is to highlight the greed of the United States healthcare system, which should ideally be used to help save lives rather than make a profit. The movie shows how wealthier people are more likely to get better quality medical care than those of the middle or lower class who may need it more.
This movie came out when the United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed, and the general population showed no remorse because of how corrupt the business already was. In the movie, even if people from middle class families needed the medicine, it wouldn’t be given to them because they couldn’t afford it. It shows that the healthcare system’s goal has become earning a profit when it should be about granting equitable healthcare and saving lives. The movie also satirizes higher classes by showing rich socialites flaunting this unicorn blood by infusing their steaks with it, putting it in alcohol, or even snorting it.
Overall, the movie is cinematic and has a lot of heartfelt moments between the main characters and moments of frustration and anger towards the antagonists, who represent a flawed healthcare system. The movie effectively comments on healthcare disparities and a corrupt healthcare system, making it worth a watch.