Movie Review: Leprechaun - Origins

It was just a few weeks ago that I subject myself to the original run of the Leprechaun series. Overall, they are not good movies. Seriously, some are downright awful. Still, through it all there was always Warwick Davis, the only reason to give the series any time at all. Sure, I liked a couple of them enough that I would be willing to revisit, but not all that often. As if on cue, Netflix now has the one movie of the "franchise" I had yet to see, Leprechaun: Origins. You know, the recent WWE produced reboot/remake in an effort to get the series going again.



Probably against my better judgment, and certainly against the judgement of many friends, I took the time to watch and put the franchise to proverbial bed. Now, on the other side of the end credits, I think my friends were right. I am not really sure how much time I want to spend on this movie. Simply put, it is terrible. The WWE decided to make it dark gritty, they also made it ugly, pointless, and boring. I think I would rather go back and watch Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood than watch this again.

The movie features a couple of bland couples backpacking in Ireland. They are encouraged to visit some cabin by the locals. Once they arrive, they are locked in. It turns out, the locals have a deal with a leprechaun and it requires a blood sacrifice. Well, not so much a sacrifice so much as food. The leprechaun needs to eat, so the locals lock some poor saps in the cabin so often, and it keeps the critter from munching on them.

That is really about it. We spend our time with the trapped people as they try to figure out what is going on and coming to grips that they are being hunted by a leprechaun. None of it is exciting, suspenseful, scary, or even all that bloody. It seems to take forever to get going, but when it does, it all ends just as quick.

I really don't know what to say about this movie, it is exceptionally boring and dull. It really makes you long for the Davis films. They went dark and gritty when they probably should have remained tongue in cheek. You can certainly make a Leprechaun movie that is bloody, dark and still be a bit silly and funny. It can be done. Seriously.

One of the biggest problems is the Leprechaun isn't really a leprechaun. He is some sort of beastie living in the woods, all snarly and stuff, just waiting to get its sacrificial food. It never speaks, makes no rhymes, no jokes, and no quips, no words at all. On top of that, the actor is behind an awful looking mask and most of the time he is out of focus or obscured in shadow. What makes even less sense is the casting of Dylan Postl as the titular monster. For those who don't know, he is a wrestler and a little person who portrays Hornswoggle for the WWE. His gimmick is that of a little Irish guy. Why not take advantage of that? It makes no sense not to.

I feel I have already given too much time to this movie. It is not good, it is not fun, it is not entertaining. It is boring, it is bland, it has bad characters, and is pretty much an all around waste of time. If you must watch a Leprechaun movie, I suggest the 1993 original or Leprechaun in the Hood. Seriously. Leprechaun: Origins is really not worth the time.

Not Recommended.