That Grisly Animated Movie Ending That Stays With Fans
Out of every mature cartoon movies I’ve personally watched, no other has stuck with me as much as the dread-soaked conclusion of the graphically gory and highly provocative 2022 movie Unicorn Wars.
Back in the year 2015, the Spain-based filmmaker crafted a grim, somber , frequently brutal universe that included several minor , forlorn glimmers of optimism.
While Unicorn Wars seems like it stemmed from a desire to advance the medium even more, the director clarified that it was more a try to communicate a widespread, cross-cultural message about “the shared root of each battle.”
That message is expressed through a band of vividly colored bears , obviously inspired by a well-known series of cuddly characters.
Growing up in a society centered on warmongering and the war machine, numerous these animals are consumed by killing the mythical beasts, because of a holy book that tells the bears they previously were kings of the woodland, until these creatures expelled them.
Others haven’t fully bought into the propaganda, and choose to try out substances and engage sexually in the forest.
Unlike their cuddly equivalents, these colorful critters show sexual organs and obvious sex drives.
For one especially vicious, skeptical animal, the bear named Bluey, the war with unicorns transforms into a path to control — and especially to authority above his gentler, kinder brother the bear Tubby.
This bear acts as a tormentor and an apparent sociopath , and when horror dominates his unit and kills his comrades sequentially, he seizes increasingly power on his own behalf, via progressively gory, damaging approaches.
At the same time, these mythical beings are enduring their own terror, as a spreading, harmful creature in their woods.
“Initially, it appears as a lighthearted film,” the director said. “However it evolves into a more dramatic and sad movie. And ultimately, it becomes a scary feature.”
The Unicorn Wars commences resembling one of the most whimsical movies from an iconic animator, that discover a mischievous joy in allowing cartoon characters curse, fire weapons, or have intimate relations.
Then it evolves into more akin to a darker work from that artist, including ever more explicit brutality , a noticeable link to genuine suffering of battle.
Ultimately, it becomes a complete Grand Guignol massacre.
The terror which makes the film an ideal spooky-season viewing starts a lot earlier than indicated.
The Unicorn Wars is ideal for the most dedicated gorehounds, for enthusiasts of extreme cinema who wish to see something they’ve never seen on-screen before, and are able to withstand a narrative that offers absolutely no punches.
See it in a dimly lit space without any distractions, and the conclusion will crawl under your skin and linger.
Where to watch: Offered for digital rental or sale on various digital platforms.