Thelma the Unicorn Movie Review
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Thelma is a sweet little farm-pony who wants to become a singing superstar, but her dreams are crushed when her band is rejected merely based on their appearance, before they could even perform for a popular talent show. So when an accident drenches her in pink color and sparkles, Thelma pretends to be a unicorn, becomes a viral sensation, and is on the path to global stardom. But what will happen if her fans find out she is not a real unicorn?!
Directed by Jared Hess and Lynn Wang, the 2024 Netflix animated film “Thelma The Unicorn” is based on a picture-book of the same name by Aaron Blabey. Brittany Howard voices the cheery Thelma, while Will Forte voices Thelma’s best-friend Otis, who looks like a slight variation of Donkey from the Shrek movies, but is a lot less loquacious, yet just as loyal. Their story opens with a comical “X-Factor”-like audition for a music festival called “Sparklepalooza”, where Thelma’s band is dismissed for not having “the look” needed for stars. But once Thelma disguises herself as a unicorn, the whole world starts paying attention to her.
Some parts of “Thelma The Unicorn” have the same energy as “Sing,” the animated musical, although its animation quality isn’t as top-notch or engaging. Also, the world-building in the movie, where animals and humans can communicate with each other and coexist happily, felt slightly strange to watch as an adult viewer. Thelma and her animal friends work on a farm, where one of their many tasks include milking cows, and my first thought was, “Wait, wouldn’t they be getting slaughtered eventually?!”. But since the story is primarily aimed at children, younger viewers might not catch the irony or absurdity of it all.
One of the most amusing characters in “Thelma The Unicorn” is Nikki Narwhal (voiced by Ally Dixon), a famous pop diva who feels threatened when Thelma becomes a viral sensation, despite Nikki’s song topping the music charts. Jemaine Clement voices Vic Diamond, a sleazy, predatory music manager who ensnares Thelma with promises of record deals, private jets, and more, causing the sweet pony to almost lose herself in the glamorously hollow world of showbiz. The script is filled with witty references that will go over kids’ heads but will amuse older viewers.
With a 93-minute runtime and plenty of songs—some catchy and cute, others randomly forgettable—”Thelma The Unicorn” might not be as funny or memorable as you’d hope, but it manages to be entertaining enough with its imposter theme and the usual “be true to yourself” message.
You can stream “Thelma The Unicorn” on Netflix.
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