This satirical horror film was written and directed by Alex Scharfman and stars Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as a father and daughter, Elliot and Ridley Kintner. They are travelling to a remote house to meet Elliot’s boss Odell Leopold (Richard E Grant), his wife Belinda (Téa Leoni) and their son Shepard (Will Poulter). While driving to their destination, Elliot accidentally runs over a unicorn foal with his car. Injured, he puts it out of its misery, or so he believes, loads it into his car and finishes the journey.
What follows is a wild, often funny depiction of rich peoples greed and selfishness and how some aspiring to be wealthy will prioritise that over more important things like family. So hideous are Elliot and the Leopolds, I was rooting for the foal’s parents when they started to wreak revenge. Leoni is especially good as she oozes faux empathy for the one voice of reason, Ridley. Jenna Ortega continues to show what a terrific young actress she is, and I also liked Sunita Mani as a scientist and Anthony Carrigan as the Leopold’s put upon butler.
Whilst this was all enjoyable, for a horror film it was devoid of scares, despite some gruesome deaths, and the quasi religious moments do not really add anything. But there is so much talent on screen, it is always very watchable.
Rating: 7 out of 10