Reviews for The Last Unicorn

"The Last Unicorn" is based on a novel of the same name by Peter Beagle. The movie holds up well to the book, although the book lends extra depth to the characters, and a bit more in the way of plot that was not able to be portrayed in the allotted time. Despite the fact that the main character is a unicorn, the movie is dark and moody. The last unicorn, voiced by Mia Farrow, discovers that she is the last of her kind and embarks on a journey to reveal what happened to the other unicorns. Along the way, she is joined by Schmendrick, an inept magician, and Molly Grue, the a downtrodden woman. Eventually, the unicorn finds out that the others of her kind were driven into the sea by the Red Bull. When faced by the Red Bull, the unicorn is transformed by Schmendrick's magic into the human Lady Amalthea to protect her from the Red Bull. The scene is quite poigniant, as she laments that she can feel her formerly immortal body dying. At the castle of King Haggard, as the party searches for the unicorns, a prince falls in love with the Lady Amalthea, and she begins to forget her former life as a unicorn. Will she choose love, which she cannot feel as an immortal, or save the unicorns? Even the end of this movie is bittersweet. America provides the music for the movie, and the songs suit the dark air of the movie. I would say that this is a more adult oriented movie. I recall that my parents rented this movie for me when I was about five, and I had nightmares from some of the imagery. Still, from an adult perspective, this movie is quite good. I have no real gripes about this movie. I would highly recommend this film.

This beautiful movie stays surprisingly true to the novel it's based on, most like because the novel's author, Peter S. Beagle, also wrote the screenplay. An all-star cast and excellent voice acting add even more to the movie's magic. The unicorn, voice of Mia Farrow, sets out to discover the fate of her lost kin, accompanied by a good-natured almost-wizard, Schmendrick, and a cynical, sharp-witted, but ultimately kind and caring woman, Molly Grue. Along the way she discovers what it is to be human and finds herself falling in love with a mortal, the heroic Prince Lir (voice of Jeff Bridges). The bittersweet ending of the novel remains, which I find refreshing in an animated movie, and "happily ever after" gets redefined. I wouldn't recommend this movie for really young children, but I watched it as a little girl and remember liking it as much then as I do now.

In a forest of perpetual summer, a unicorn learns from a passing butterfly that she is the last of her kind in all the world. Troubled, she leaves the safety of her forest in order to search for her missing brethren, who have been driven away by a sinister Red Bull. Though dangers loom in a world that know longer knows her, the unicorn finds friends in Schmendrick, an inept wizard, and the regretful Molly Grue. Together, they discover that the cruel King Haggard controls the Red Bull, and resolve to defeat him. But in order to find what she's searching for, the last unicorn must become something she was never meant to be, and soon risks losing all that she ever was.

Aside from a few jarringly bad songs and a some distracting minor characters, "The Last Unicorn" is one of the best animated films of the early 1980s. Though it has all the earmarks of standard fairy-tale fare, this is a deeper, darker story than the norm, and takes its subject matter quite seriously. Author Peter S. Beagle's screenplay transfers his classic novel to the screen brilliantly, keeping the style and tone for the most part intact. In addition, the film has a stellar voice cast, lovely visuals, and some very good music by the band, "America." Aspects of the film's animation falls somewhat short of today's standards, but there are many elements, especially the intricate design work, which I doubt will ever be surpassed. All the characters are extremely stylized, but highly detailed. Ever feather on the wing of a harpy can be picked out as she flies, and the countless locks of the Lady Almalthea's hair individually shift and swirl as she moves.

What really makes "The Last Unicorn" special, though, are the characters and dialogue. There's the bumbling Schmendrick, who would give anything to be able to do real magic, Molly Grue, who is faded and worn, but still a sharp, sensible soul, and finally the twisted King Haggard, who's only wish in the world is to be truly happy. The language of the film is archaic, but simple and familiar. The themes are nothing out of the ordinary: magic, heroism, and love, but here magic is not always wondrous, heroism not always rewarded, and love not always a means to happiness. There are unspoken rules to be followed, and, as Schmendrick notes, "There are no happy endings, because nothing ever ends."

"The Last Unicorn" has become relatively obscure, due to its lack of major studio backing and the absence of real commercial success in the mainstream, but it has worn out the years very well. Like other Rankin-Bass features, such as "The Lord of the Rings," it's an ambitious film that succeeds in being both true to itself and completely enjoyable to its audience. In short, this one's a classic.

The Last Unicorn, based on the book of the same name by Peter S. Beagle, is one of those novel-based movies that stays true to the book.

The movie tells the tale of a unicorn (voiced by Mia Farrow) who leaves the safety of her forest to search for the rest of her kind. Along the way she is joined by Schmendrick, a clumsy, inept wizard whose spells more often than not blow up in his face, and Molly Grue a kind-hearted woman who keeps her feelings hidden under a shroud of bitterness and sarcasm. On the trip another spell of Schmendrick's backfires, and the unicorn suddenly finds herself as a human. In this form she discovers the whereabouts of her kin, but begins to forget her immortality as she falls in love with Prince Lir. Unlike most fairy and fantasy tales adapted to animated film, the ending of TLU remains true to the book; it's not a completely happy ending.

Animated by Rankin/Bass, The Last Unicorn is aimed mostly at the late elementary through high school age group, but is enjoyable for adults as well. I wouldn't reccomend the film for younger children, as some scenes may be frightening.