A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun Returns (2018)

After the disgraceful reboot “Leprechaun: Origins” absolutely failed to enrapture fans, it seemed like the “Leprechaun” franchise was over. Warwick Davis would mention his desire to make more from time to time, with premises involving pirates or the wild west being tossed around. Nothing would come of these and, let's face it, it's amazing the series ran for as many movies as it did anyway. Last year though, out of the blue, something truly unexpected happened. A new entry in the series, that would ignore the remake and instead directly follow-up the original, was announced. “Leprechaun Returns” comes from director Steven Kostanski, previously of “The Void” and “Manborg,” an inspired choice to take over the series. Honestly, Kostanski being behind the camera gave me hope for this latest reboot, even if Warwick Davis was absent and Syfy Channel was co-producing.

Unlike any of the previous “Leprechaun” sequels, “Leprechaun Returns” actually is directly connected to one of the earlier films. We head back to the setting of the original “Leprechaun.” Lila, daughter of original protagonist Tony, heads back to her late mom's home town. She's there to help set up a college sorority.  Up until her death, Lila's mom was haunted by her memories of the Leprechaun. So is local simpleton Ozzie, who is still living in town. Lila's arrival is apparently enough to stir the Leprechaun, still residing in the well where he fell, back to life. The fearsome fey goes back to his quest to retrieve his gold, killing anyone who gets in his way.

Unlike the utterly mercenary “Leprechaun: Origins,” “Leprechaun Returns” was clearly made by fans of the original series. From the moment Mark Holton's Ozzie wanders back on-screen, you know this sequel is an act of homage and love to those older films. “Leprechaun Returns” does a pretty good job of capturing that deeply silly, very dumb, but oddly endearing atmosphere. The film even looks similar, with more scenes of people fleeing from the Leprechaun through dark woods. Kostanski shows his love by having the Lep crack lots of bad jokes and speak in silly rhymes. Amusingly, the Lep interacts with modern day inventions, weaponizing a drone and taking time to take selfies with his intended victims. Fittingly, the film also includes some outrageous death scenes. There's a fleshy disembowelment, a vertical slicing with a solar panel, head crushings, decapitations, and facet impalement.

In many regards, “Leprechaun Returns” is everything you could hope for from a twenty-five years later sequel to the original film. Yet there is a problem. The movie has a big Warwick Davis shaped hole in its heart. Our ersatz Leprechaun performer, Liden Porco, is not bad by any means. His voice is a bit high-pitched and the make-up isn't consistent with the original. However, Porco clearly has some hammy talent of his own and obviously enjoys playing the part. He just lacks the unique zeal and full-born love of ridiculousness that Davis brought to he part. The Lep's trademark awful jokes and rhymes don't sound as satisfying coming out of someone else's mouth. The sequel, though only eighty-six minutes long, also feels a bit long. Though I appreciate gags like the Leprechaun multiplying or being set ablaze, the movie peaks early when the ghastly sprite explodes spectacularly. Its last act never recovers.

Still, screenwriters Mark Jones and Suzanne Keilly earn serious points for attempting to craft genuinely likable characters. Our group of sorority girls and clueless boyfriends are not especially deep. They do, however, have defining characteristics that at least stick out in the mind. Meredith is a borderline alcoholic. Rose is the tightly wound control freak running the sorority house. Nice girl Katie can't quite quit her lunk-headed boyfriend, continuing to hook up with him and immediately regretting it. Even one of the guys, a would-be director, sticks out. Truthfully, Taylor Spreitler's Lila even gets a decent arc. She's recovering from her mom's death and, as ridiculous as it is to say this, the film does satisfyingly have her overcome that by fighting off the Leprechaun that so traumatized Jennifer Aniston and Garth. Especially when compared to the complete blanks that starred in the reboot, this cast proves surprisingly likable.

In many ways, far more care and respect was taken with “Leprechaun Returns” than you would ever expect for this franchise. It's super gory, very silly, and amusingly dumb in much the same way as the earlier films. Still, the “Leprechaun” series was enjoyable largely because Warwick Davis is such an appealing performer. Without him, the new film can't quite satisfy. Still, I have to respect a loving fan-letter like this, especially one devoted to a series as disreputable as “Leprechaun.” Maybe if Linden Porco gets further chances to make the part his own, I'll warm up to him. Until then, “Leprechaun Returns” stands as an amusing if not wholly gratifying homage to one of horror's most delightfully dumb long-runners. [6/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun: Origins (2014)

You may recall, not too long ago, when the biggest horror trend was remakes. The idea was so pervasive that even films of debatable status were being rebooted.  Producers believed that name recognition, no matter how small, could sell movies. That's how we got new versions of “April Fools' Day” or “Sorority Row.” So the time came to reboot “Leprechaun.” An often derided and utterly ridiculous franchise, the “Leprechaun” films nevertheless found a following thanks to Warwick Davis' refusal to say no to any goofy idea. When it was announced that the film-making division of pro-wrestling institution WWE would be producing a remake, fans widely assumed that Dylan Postl, a little person wrestler with the gimmick of dressing up as a leprechaun, would star. This proved correct. However, “Leprechaun: Origins” would not feature Hornswaggle rhyming or cracking jokes. Instead, the in-name-only reboot would take the series in a new direction completely rejected even by the non-discriminating “Leprechaun” fanbase.

“Leprechaun: Origins” has exactly one good idea. It's the first film in the shockingly long-running series to actually take place in Ireland. (Unsurprisingly, Canada stands in for the Emerald Isle.) In the grassy Irish countryside, something is killing tourists. College student Sophie and her friends – Ben, Jeni, and David – know nothing about this. They ride into the secluded grasslands, which are dotted with ancient standing stones. A local named Hamish encourages Sophie and her friends to hike even further into the countryside, to see more of the old sites. This is a set-up, it turns out. Hamish and his gang have been feeding unsuspecting tourists to a blood-thirsty leprechaun stalking the area. The kids, the monster's gold unknowingly planted on their bags, have to survive the night.

The producers of “Leprechaun: Origins” made the typical promises of going back to the franchise's roots, creating something darker that would still satisfy fans. Yet it's apparent these filmmakers never actually saw any of the Warwick Davis flicks. Those movies may have been offensively dumb but there was a certain charm in their go-for-broke silliness. On its surface, the idea of a pro-wrestler famous for dressing as a leprechaun playing the diminutive demon seems in keeping with this series dubious charms. Yet “Leprechaun: Origins” doesn't do that. Completely negating the reason for casting him, Dylan Postl is buried under make-up as an indistinct monster that looks nothing like a leprechaun. He doesn't talk, tell bad jokes, rap, smoke pot, wear a green hat, or even kill people in magical ways. The idea that he's after his gold is an afterthought. This is not a remake of the original “Leprechaun.” It's a totally generic modern monster movie that could've been about any sort of creature.

Building a horror movie around Celtic mythology has merit. It has nothing to do with the “Leprechaun” series as we know it but it's not a bad idea. Yet “Leprechaun: Origins” even fails when taken on its own merits. The leprechaun design is uninspired. Postl clearly has trouble moving in the awkward suit. There's some token mention of ancient monolithic stones or gold mines. This all ends up being window-dressing on a story otherwise preoccupied with college students being chased by a greasy critter. There's some pathetic attempt to mine drama out of the stereotypically conflicted backwoods yokels engineering the kids' situation. Especially embarrassing are the random insertions of character development for our youthful heroes. Like Sophie getting mad at her boyfriend for leaving her behind while a fucking monster attacks them. Or the completely pathetic one-liner she croaks before offing the beast in an uninteresting way.

More than anything else, “Leprechaun: Origins” is a boring motion picture that brings nothing to the table. Director Zach Lipovsky – a child actor turned director of uninspiring TV movies – does not distinguish himself. There's lots of shaky-cam and overly dark night-shooting, most of it seemingly designed to obscure the stiff monster suit. The movie has a washed-out and ugly appearance. Lipovsky's only trick of note is point-of-view shots, most of which just add to the generic horror look-and-feel of the production. The acting is hard to judge, as the characters are a completely undefined set of spam-in-the-van. The only actor that makes an impression is veteran voice-actor Garry Chalk as Hamish. And that's strictly because I recognized the voice of Optimus Primal showing up in this shitty movie.

By the way, the subtitle is completely meaningless. Though we get a moment of torturous exposition, no attempt is made to provide a definite origin for this or any other leprechaun. It's certainly not a prequel, remake, or even reboot of the established series. “Leprechaun: Origins” annoyed and bored me. It's not like the “Leprechaun” series has an especially high standard of quality. Somehow, this ill-conceived “reboot” is an exhausting piece-of-shit made to cash-in on the dwindling name recognition of a brand that was only valuable to horror nerds anyway. [2/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003)

From its dubious beginnings, the “Leprechaun” series has prided itself on putting its title character in all sorts of unexpected locations. From the countryside to the big city to Las Vegas, to the furthest reaches of outer space. Even the closure of Trimark Pictures, the series’ original production company, couldn’t stop the Leprechaun’s adventures. With the fifth entry, the Lep went to the hood. The sixth part would break with tradition by retreading old ground. The Leprechaun was going back to the hood. Or, as the subtitle insists on spelling it, “Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood.”

As always, we start with a clean slate. A well-meaning priest stole the Leprechaun’s gold, planning to use it to build a community center for his crime-infested town. He successfully buries the Leprechaun underground but succumbs to his wounds afterwards. A year later, Emily is told by a fortune teller that she’ll soon stumble upon great wealth. Just that happens when she tumbles into the abandoned community center, discovering the Leprechaun’s gold. This reawakens the ill-tempered imp, who goes on another rampage through the hood, seeking his gold and the blood of those who stole it.

“Leprechaun in the Hood” felt like a very dumb but generally good-natured parody of ‘hood movies. “Back 2 tha Hood,” too often, feels like a straight example of urban exploitation flicks. I do not care about the daily strife of Emily, her friend Lisa, and her boyfriend Rory. Their struggles with trying to escape tha hood are routine and uninteresting. A surprising amount of screen time is devoted to their daily struggles. The comedy that does exist in this half is extremely broad. Stoner Jamie’s coining of the phrase “ninja” is a decently amusing running gag. Otherwise, we’re greeted to degrading racial stereotypes, such as gold-digging girlfriends or an obnoxious big woman. Once the Leprechaun shows up and starts, you know, killing people, things improve slightly. But “Back 2 tha Hood” takes far too long to get going.

In the second half of the film, things start to pick up. Warwick Davis’ tiny terror indulges in even goofier shenanigans. He rips on a bong, a genuine moment of dumb comedy, especially once he uses that as a murder weapon. He gets locked in a fridge but is too high to care. The kills are disappointingly low-key. The Leprechaun mostly finishes his victim’s off with his claws, which is a far cry from the magical murders in parts 3 and 4. However, the movie does have some fun with its setting. The Leprechaun’s duel with a pair of racist cops is probably the best scene in the movie, as it involves comical dismemberment. When he gets in the cop car afterwards, realizing he can’t reaches the peddles, I laughed. Once the Leprechaun is on the phone, attempting to score a date, being smashed under the body of a pimp-mobile, and trading kamehamehas with a psychic fortune teller, “Back 2 tha Hood” finally settles into the right kind of ridiculous.

Aside from all the ghetto-set tomfoolery, the sixth “Leprechaun” film expands on the mythology in some interesting ways. The film begins with an animated prologue, explaining the Leprechauns origins, how they were fairies raised to protect kings’ gold. How, after the kings fell out of favor, most returned to the Earth. Except for one who, out of greed, started to horde the gold. Gee whiz, that’s actually a pretty epic origin for the most laughable of horror movie threats. The movie returns to older aspects of the series, reestablishing the Leprechaun’s weakness to four-leaf clovers. The general make-up remains the same but the Leprechaun is sporting slightly different duds this time, including an overcoat and a new hat. I can’t say I care for that.

Through it all, there’s Warwick Davis, cracking silly jokes and generally having the time of his life. Davis’ unending enthusiasm for the role – let’s face it, the guy is in “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars.” He doesn’t need these movies – is what kept the entire, ridiculous, hideously dumb but oddly endearing “Leprechaun” series afloat for six movies. “Back 2 tha Hood” is not the peak of the franchise. That dubious honor still goes to the one-two punch of Las Vegas and “In Space.” But it’s not without its moments either. Fans have sat through the rest of the franchise. Odds are good they’ll sit through this too. [6/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)

Obviously, the “Leprechaun” series continued to be popular on the video market. We wouldn’t have gotten a fifth movie if it wasn’t. Around the same time, movies targeted at the “urban market” where also popular in the direct-to-video world. Obviously, it made sense to cross over these two elements. (Okay, maybe “makes sense” is the wrong phrase.) If the Leprechaun interacting with space was hilarious, the Leprechaun in the hood would be as twice as hilarious, right? And thus, in 2000, "Leprechaun in the Hood" became a real movie.

In the 1970s, as evident by the ridiculous afro, a street hood named Mack Daddy discovered the Leprechaun’s secret lair. Removing the pendent from his neck, he brought the Lep to life. Before Mack could be killed, he slipped the pendent back on his neck, stealing the Leprechaun’s magical flute too. Thirty years later, Mack Daddy has now become a successful rap producer, mostly thanks to that magic flute. Meanwhile, three young kids are hoping to become rap superstars. A chance encounter with Mack Daddy gives them their chance… Before they blow it. That night, they return to the producer’s home with the intention to rob it. Instead, they unleash the Leprechaun, grabbing his magic flute. This works out nicely for them until the ghastly gremlin returns for his property.

I can’t believe I’m saying this. The best thing about “Leprechaun in the Hood” is its characters. The central trio goes by Postmaster P., Stray Bullet, and Butch. Despite their gangsta’ rap nicknames, they are actually nice boys. Postmaster P. talks about positivity, how he doesn’t want to enforce negative stereotypes. Butch is a technical genius with a keen understanding of chemistry, engineering all sorts of devices. Only Stray wants to pursue the tough street criminal image. A.T. Montgomery, Rashaan Nail, and Red Grant are surprisingly likable in the parts. When the three kids have to perform for a church, their awkward attempts are endearing. I’d say Montogmery even gives a good performance as Post, actually putting some thought into his character. The friendship the three share is sort of sweet, even. These are not things I’d expect from a movie called “Leprechaun in the Hood.”

Which isn’t to say the movie doesn’t deliver on the cheap and easy sight gags. Obviously it does, which is apparent from the moment Ice-T pulls a baseball bat out of his afro. Considering the Leprechaun’s preference to rhyming, putting him a hip-hop environment almost makes sense. (Well, it makes as much sense as anything with these movies do.) As expected, the Leprechaun smokes weed. He murders the offensively stereotyped Chinese store owner. He survives being shot with a gat. Most bizarrely, he even summons a trio of “fly honies,” personal ladies that serve as his minions. And, yes, he raps which is as good as you’d expect. At least the movie is committed to its dumb premise. It’s certainly better then the Leprechaun’s lackluster kills, which mostly involve blowing holes in people’s chest with his powers.

“Leprechaun in the Hood” is not as deliriously entertaining as the previous two films. Much of the humor is off-putting. A male cross-dresser is treated in an offensive, homophobic manner. The movie returns to that ground at the end, when the heroes cross-dress too. The film’s pacing really starts to falter in the last third. Following a major character’s death, the movie gets unusually serious. It ricochets between incredibly goofy and sort-of serious for the rest of the run time. Moreover, you can tell the writers didn’t really have enough story for a feature. The film begins to feel like a collection of unrelated sketches by the end. The downbeat conclusion ends the movie on a dreary note.

But then again, what do you want? This is the fifth movie in the “Leprechaun” series, for goodness sake. All things considered, it’s a lot better than it has any right to be. Warwick Davis is still having a ball in the part and there’s a little more thought put into this than expected. It’s still incredibly dumb, obviously, but it manages to be mildly entertaining. [6/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997)

By the time a horror series has reached outer space, it usually means the series has irrevocably jumped the shark. It has reached that magical point where it’s no longer believable, where all good will has been spent, where it’s impossible to take it seriously anymore. To say the “Leprechaun” series jumped the shark with “Leprechaun 4: In Space” implies the series had any respectability or realism to loose. If anything, shooting the Leprechaun into outer space was an inevitability, a fulfillment of the series’ inherent ridiculousness. With this in mind, it’s not a surprise that “Leprechaun 4: In Space” is easily the most entertaining entry in the misbegotten franchise. The film seems to laugh off any and all detractors with its on-the-nose subtitle. “The Leprechaun is in space this time. Of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be?”

Since there’s zero continuity between the “Leprechaun” films, no time is wasted explaining how Warwick Davis’ impervious imp got into outer space. This is, seemingly, an alien leprechaun who just happens to look, sound, and act exactly like the same character from the last three movies. In the distant future, a squad of space marines land on an alien planet, with plans to rescue an alien princess from the Leprechaun. When the fearsome fairy is exploded, a marine pees on his corpse. Using his powers, the Leprechaun stowaways onto the ship inside the man’s ball sack. Meanwhile, a mad cyborg scientist notices the princess’ blood has healing properties. When the Leprechaun escapes, he reestablishes his plans to marry the princess, steal his gold back, and gruesomely murder anyone who gets in the way.

All the previous “Leprechaun” films have been shamelessly dumb. Part three, with its magically growing asses and robot strippers, pushed the series even further into nuttiness. “In Space” gleefully leaps off that slope. The film is genuinely demented. Look no further than the way the Leprechaun survives his opening death. Has any other horror series featured its main villain bursting forth from a man’s neither regions? The movie’s bent streak runs wild on its supporting characters. The hard-ass general, who happens to have a metallic dome for a head, is suddenly transformed into a lisping cross-dressing. The strangest subplot is reserved for the mad scientist. When introduced, he is half a torso sputtering around on a set of wheels, various tubes pumping in and out of his body. His quest to regenerate his body goes horribly awry with the Lep’s help. Dr. Mittenhand ends up transforming into a Brundlefly style fusion of man and spider! (The movie actually goes out of its way to reference both versions of “The Fly.”) What the hell this has to do with the rest of the plot is not really important. Where else are you going to see such a bizarre combination of story elements?

The movie fully exploits Warwick Davis’ hammy quality. The film sees the Leprechaun leaping into a few different outfits, without reason. One scene has him dressed up as a cowboy, swinging pistols. The beginning sees him in a tux with a cigarette holder, trying to seduce the space princess. He sings “Danny Boy” and quotes Shakespeare. Even if suddenly sci-fi-ized horror sequels are generally looked down on, one thing they are certain to feature is an amusing juxtaposition of the series villain and the outer space setting. “In Space” is no different. The beginning has the Lep leaping onto a primed grenade. This is after he murders one of the space marines with a light saber. He drops a giant crate on somebody, survives laser blasts, cuts open a containment suit, and has his gold shrunk with a shrink ray. That same size-changing ray comes into play when the little Leprechaun suddenly becomes a giant one! Yep, the movie goes there. It goes even further, as the titular threat is offed when he’s sucked out the airlock, exploding in the vacuum of space. My god.

That “In Space” is so delightfully nuts can probably be attributed to director Brian Trenchard-Smith, who directed the also-crazy part three. Trenchard-Smith’s ability to put together decent cast even inside low-budget schlock is on display here too. The film’s main heroes, a good-hearted jarhead and a sexy lady scientist, are snore-inducing. The supporting cast is more likable. Guy Siner goes gleefully over-the-top as Dr. Mittenhand, acting like a crazy person. Gary Grossman, as Mittenhand’s sleazy assistant, is nearly as deranged. Tom Colceri, the second cyborg in the cast, seems to be parodying the idea of the hard-ass marine boss, while also being a robot. Horror regular Miguel A. Nunuz Jr. also has the proud distinction of twice playing a black guy who makes it to the end in a horror movie. Former “Baywatch” babe Rebecca Colton isn’t very good as the alien princess. However, the movie is amusingly shameless about her nude scene, lampshading its sheer gratuitous quality.

In order to appreciate “Leprechaun 4: In Space,” one needs to have an appetite for utterly ridiculous horror schlock. To call it a good movie by any traditional metrics is fallacious. However, taken on its own merits, as a gleefully unhinged B-movie, it provides certain pleasures. A movie that presents images like this has to have value, man. [7/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun 3 (1995)

Inexplicably, “Leprechaun 3” is the part of the franchise that I’ve seen the most. It was the first “Leprechaun” movie I’ve ever saw. During middle school, a friend of mine brought over a VHS tape of the movie after school. We watched it, mocking it all the while. I didn’t think the movie was very good but, obviously, I stuck with the series. Here I am, reviewing all of them. “Leprechaun 3” plays a little better now that I’m an adult. By now, the series is fully committed to its ridiculousness. “Leprechaun 3” might as well be called “The Leprechaun Goes to Las Vegas.” The glitzy city is associated with luck and so are leprechauns, I guess. Anyway, as always, there’s no direct connection with this film and the previous two.

The Leprechaun first appears here as a statue, brought into a Vegas pawn shop. When the greedy shop owner removes the magical pendent, the Leprechaun is free to wreck havoc. A traveling kid who has stopped through Vegas stumbles into the shop after blowing his life saving at the roulette table. There, he stumbles upon one of the Lep’s coins. This time, the coin has the magical ability to grant wishes. The coin has a bad habit of passing hands just as the Leprechaun shows up to kill the last person who had it. Our hero Scott and his love interest Tammy have to stay ahead of the devious dwarf.

“Leprechaun 3” was directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, a prolific Australian schlock-master. Trenchard-Smith previously made “Night of the Demons 2,” something like a favorite of mine and arguably the best of that series. (“Lep 3” even features a cameo from “Night of the Demons 2’s” Father Bob!) That film benefited from its quirky cast of characters. The oddball collection of characters in “Leprechaun 3” aren’t as appealing as that film’s. However, there are some notable cast members. John Gatins is a lovable loser as Scott, the film’s gee-shucks hero. Lee Armstrong is Tammy, his love interest. She’s a good enough actress but she’s also lovely and spends the whole movie in a tight, revealing outfit. Caroline Williams, already a cult favorite for her leading role in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,” plays Loretta, a bitchy casino employee who wants to be beautiful. When her wishes is granted, Williams’ all-ready campy performances goes even further over-the-top. Michael Callan is delightfully sleazy as Mitch, the handsy owner of the casino, while John DeMita’s stuck-up magician Fazio is exactly the type of horror character we love to hate. My favorite minor characters in the film are two bouncers who some insecurities about their fashion choices.

In previous films, the Leprechaun usually tore his victims apart with his claws or a random object lying around. However, part two introduces magic into the Leprechaun’s arsenal. The third film runs with this idea. Now, the Leprechaun is offing his victims with his magical abilities, usually twisting their wishes against them. Because all of these movies are epically dumb, this leads to some bizarre, hilarious death scenes. Mitch is electrocuted to death by a robot stripper who emerges from his TV. Loretta’s tits, ass, and lips expand until she explodes. Fazio is chainsawed in half inside his own magic box. The gore, though fairly wet, is too ridiculous to be disturbing. Even when the Leprechaun takes people out with weapons or his claws, things remain silly. The series has graduated fully to horror/comedy.

The most ridiculous thing to happen in the film, which is no small feat, is when Scott becomes a were-leprechaun. That’s right. The critter bites the boy, splashing the wound with his green blood. Next, Scott grows scraggly hair, patchy skin, and exaggerated features. He starts to covet gold, speak in rhyme, and crave potatoes. When rushed to the hospital, his blood work read up is covered with shamrocks. It’s an utterly insane plot element. The attempt to play Scott’s descent into evil for serious drama is… Well, I’m not buying it. The Leprechaun remains the clown he’s always been. He hangs out with an Elvis impersonator, cracks jokes about Vegas, makes puns after being tossed out a window, and makes up more ridiculous rhymes then ever before. Clearly, Warwick Davis enjoys doing this.

“Leprechaun 3” still drags in a few spots. It’s obvious there wasn’t quite enough script even for a brief 90 minute run time. The story is awkwardly divided between the casino and the pawn shop for half of its run time. However, the film is kookier than the previous two entries. The franchise edges closer and closer to genuinely amusing with each new film. It’s a dumb, goofy treat for folks with the stomach for this kind of silliness. [7/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun 2 (1994)

For reasons that I have no good explanation for, “Leprechaun” got a sequel. The original did not move a lot of movie tickets but I guess it found success somewhere because Vidmark greenlit a part two. Maybe they did learn some lessons from the first one. “Leprechaun 2” ejects everything from the first movie except for Warwick Davis’ diminutive demon. The character has an entirely different mythology, down to a completely different weakness and motivation. All of the original human cast is ejected. This would set the precedence for the entire series, with each “Leprechaun” film more-or-less playing out in its own continuity. For part two, anyway, this would work. “Leprechaun 2” is far breezier than the original with slightly less-dumb tone and a more amusing screenplay.

A thousand years ago, a horny Leprechaun tricked a human into being his slave. As part of their agreement, he gets to marry the guy’s daughter after she sneezes three times. This goes awry, forcing the Leprechaun to wait another 1000 years for some reason. Now rolling around in modern day LA, the Lep finds the descendant of his bride and attempts to kidnap her. Her boyfriend has different plans. His attempt to stop the furious fairy leads to him being suspected of murder. As this is also St. Patrick’s Day, the tiny terror gets into some festive themed mayhem.

Most importantly, “Leprechaun 2” is much funnier than the original. Warwick Davis has a better grasp on the Leprechaun character. The imp’s trademark rhymes have a bigger presence this time around. They are intermittently amusing. The movie gets some decent jokes out of contrasting the killer Leprechaun with the usual St. Patrick Days antics. Leppy sneaks into a bar full of little people (including Tony Cox) and attempts to bargain with the film’s hero. Instead, he’s tricked into a drinking contest, which doesn’t end well for the little guy. Afterwards, he’s seen in a coffee shop, trying to java away the hangover. Funny! “Leprechaun 2” has the villain in a go-cart again but this time it actually makes since. A subplot about the hero’s celebrity tour being really shitty is genuinely amusing, as are the bit about the Leprechaun’s inescapable underground lair. It’s not sophisticated, obviously, but “Leprechaun 2” integrates humor into its story much better than the first film did.

A clearer grasp on tone also helps the movie’s horror elements. The movie never attempts scares or thrills. Why would it? However, the gore scene are more elaborated and better executed. The Leprechaun’s inconsistently magical abilities trick a sleazebag into making out with a lawnmower. (This scene also provides the movie some gratuitous T&A.) A snooty espresso salesman gets stabbed with forks and has his skin boiled with steam. An overzealous security guard is run over with the go-cart, like a miniature “Death Race 2000.” The Leprechaun’s pot of gold is teleported into somebody’s stomach, the most gruesome gag in the film. Finally, the Leprechaun’s demise is an immensely satisfying explosion. There’s telephone cord strangulation and even an undead ghoul. “Leprechaun 2” seems to know its audience a little better.

The most obvious improvement is the cast. The obnoxious characters of the first are ditched for a more likable lot. Charlie Heath as Cody is actually sort of charming, somewhere between watching out for his friends and just trying to make a buck. He has solid chemistry with Shevonne Durkin, who is cute as a button. Sandy Baron as Morty actually does a decent bit of acting as Morty, as the guy is an alcoholic with a floundering business, always trying to trick people into investing in his crazy schemes. I was sort of sad that he got the axe. Lastly, Clint Howard and Kimmy Robertson of “Twin Peaks” fame get cameos as two of the tourists scammed into the tour. Both are appealing in their own way. I would have liked to have seen the actors tangle with the Leprechaun.

I suppose it’s only slightly less stupid than the original. However, “Leprechaun 2” features more splatter, more laughs, and a better cast. These are low bars to clear but what else do you expect? It’s the film the first should have been, even incorporating a little more Irish flavor into the proceedings. Undiscerning horror fans who really want to see a horror/comedy about a killer leprechaun might be advised to seek this one out. [7/10]

A YEAR OF SLASHERS: Leprechaun (1993)

Horror fans are a forgiving lot. We like to support films in the genre, sometimes even if they aren’t that good. During the early nineties, after the slasher genre had burned itself out and before the post-modern revival later in the decade, we’d take anything we could get. It is during this environment that “Leprechaun” emerged. It’s the dumbest of dumb horror movies. Despite that, the film has spawned multiple sequels, developed a cult following, and turned Warwick Davis, the busiest little person in Hollywood, into something resembling a horror icon.

Despite being about a murderous leprechaun, “Leprechaun” is not set in Ireland. It’s set in the American Midwest. An Irishman, with the stereotypical name of O’Grady, returns from the emerald island following his mother’s funeral. While there, he caught a leprechaun and stole his gold. Unbeknownst to O’Grady, the malevolent munkin stowed away in his suitcase. The Leprechaun kills the man’s wife before being locked in a crate downstairs, held in place by a magical four leaf clover. A decade later, a new family moves into the house, J.D. Reding and his snotty daughter Tory. While cleaning out the basement, the clover is removed and the leprechaun is freed. Determined to recover his gold, the pissed-off pygmy pursues Tory and her friends, killing anyone who gets in his way.

Mostly though, the dubious pleasures of the “Leprechaun” franchise rests solely on the shoulders of Warwick Davis. By this point, Davis had already been an ewok and the star of his own fantasy epic. Davis has spent most of his career behind make-up of some sort and he has no problem making the Leprechaun a personable character. Davis’ charm is frequently the only thing keeping the movie afloat. He even manages to make some of the silly dialogue funny. The movie throws together a decent mythology for the Leprechaun. He has an obsession with cleaning shoes which the characters used to distract him a few times, a genuinely funny element. The Leprechaun’s kryptonite is a four leaf clover, a mildly clever element. If nothing else, it gives the monster a spectacular death scene, melting from the inside out. The make-up design for the Leprechaun has become well-known enough to be mildly iconic. It’s a good monster movie version of the traditional public idea of what a leprechaun is.

Whether or not “Leprechaun” was even intended to be scary is questionable. Apparently it was planned as a serious horror film before it transformed into a horror/comedy. Even that label doesn’t really apply. “Leprechaun” is best described as an occasionally gory live action cartoon. The characters are broad, most obviously obnoxious man-child Ozzie. The plot is barely existent. Characters run from the Leprechaun, escape him briefly and then the cycle starts over again. The movie seems especially obsessed with putting Warwick Davis in various wheeled vehicles. Pumping frantically, he rides a tricycle into town. He drives back to the farm in a Power Wheels style play car. Later, he cobbles together a go-cart out of stuff inside the barn, a blatantly cartoony scene. He rolls around on roller skates, inexplicably, before leaving a Looney Tunes style body-shaped hole in a fence. He rides around the house on a skateboard, striking cute posses. Most feverish is the scene where the titular horror chases Jennifer Aniston through the hospital in a wheelchair.

Occasionally, “Leprechaun” remembers that it’s supposed to be a horror movie. According to Warwick Davis, the film was originally planned as a kid-friendly horror film. This might as explain why, with one example, the gore is just explicit enough to earn an R-rating. A lot of the violence is inflicted on the crazy critter himself. More then once, he gets blasted with a shotgun, leaving a trail of green blood. When the Leprechaun does turn his wrath on humans, it usually happens on unimportant minor characters, such as a pawn shopper owner or two cops that wander in. The one cop is stalked through the forest. With a less ridiculous threat, a moment like this could have appeared in a straighter horror movie. The nastiest moment of gore comes when the Lep tears another cop’s eye out. The movie is never scary – no shit – and these more visceral moments stick out a sore thumb.

Aside from Davis’ comic shenanigans, the rest of the cast is mostly unimportant. Infamously, “Leprechaun” was an early screen credit for Jennifer Aniston. Aniston looks pretty cute in her black tank top and jean shorts. Her character is given a route arc of being a rich girl from the city who learns to live in the country. However, when running and hiding from the titular threat, Aniston shows some decent final girl potential. The rest of the cast ranges from utterly unremarkable, such as the girl’s father and her love interest, to genuinely irritating, such as Mark Holton as Fauknerian man-child Ozzie and his kid sidekick Alex, played by Robert Gorman.

“Leprechaun” is really an extraordinarily stupid movie. Its goofy streak extends pass silly into outright dumb. However, mostly thanks to a shameless star, some decent special effects, and a short running time, it can provide some brief, dubious thrills to horror fans nostalgic for the early nineties. Turn your brain off, all the way off, and enjoy Warwick Davis rhyming and killing people with a pogo stick. [6/10]