That Gory Animated Movie Ending That Stays With Viewers
Out of all the mature cartoon movies I’ve personally viewed, nothing has remained with me quite like the terror-laced conclusion of the graphically gory and highly provocative 2022 movie Unicorn Wars.
In the year 2015, this Spanish writer-director crafted a grim, somber and often savage universe with a few small , forlorn glimmers of hope.
Although The Unicorn Wars seems like it came from a drive to push animation further, the director clarified that it was more a try to communicate a widespread, cross-cultural theme about “the shared root of every conflict.”
That message is communicated via a group of brightly hued teddy bears , clearly inspired by a famous line of lovable figures.
Growing up in a community centered on aggression as well as the war machine, a lot of the bears are obsessed with slaughtering unicorns, thanks to a sacred text that claims the bears they used to be rulers of the forest, before the unicorns expelled them.
Some did not entirely fallen for the indoctrination, , prefer to experiment with drugs and mate in the woods.
In contrast to their gentle counterparts, these bright beings have visible sexual organs , definite sex drives.
For a certain particularly cruel, pessimistic creature, the bear named Bluey, the war with unicorns turns into a path to control — and specifically to authority over his more tender, more compassionate sibling Tubby.
Bluey acts as a tormentor , an apparent sociopath , and as terror dominates his squad and takes his comrades sequentially, he takes increasingly power on his own behalf, through ever more gory, destructive ways.
At the same time, the horned creatures are experiencing their own terror, in the form of an expanding, destructive monster in their woods.
“In the early stages, it feels like a humorous movie,” the filmmaker commented. “Yet it turns into a more serious and sad movie. And by the end, it’s a scary feature.”
Unicorn Wars begins resembling one of the most quirky features by an iconic filmmaker, that uncover a wicked pleasure in permitting animated figures swear, fire weapons, or engage sexually.
Afterward it evolves into something more like a darker movie from the same director, featuring progressively graphic violence , a noticeable link to the real horror of war.
In the finale, it’s a complete extreme drama bloodbath.
The fear that makes the film a perfect Halloween watch kicks in a lot earlier than indicated.
The Unicorn Wars is one for the devoted fans of gore, for lovers of graphic films who want to see something they’ve never viewed until now, and can endure a narrative which delivers absolutely no punches.
Watch it with the lights off without any distractions, and the finale will dig deep within you and stay with you.
Where to watch: Available for digital rental or sale on multiple digital platforms.
