The Horror Show
Leprechaun Returns
by Steven Kostanski
There is a magical ability granted to the horror genre. If you don't want to acknowledge the terrible sequels that has spawned from the original, don't reboot it, make a sequel! No matter how many years later! Just because it worked for Halloween doesn't mean it will work for every franchise. Leprechaun Returns tries to capture this magic and falls short. No pun intended.
Twenty five years has passed since Jennifer Aniston and the gang threw Warwick Davis down a well. Aniston's daughter, Lila, and her sorority sisters are turning the cabin where her mom first fought the Leprechaun into a self-sustaining property because they want to live off the grid. Unfortunately, they awaken the little green menace and he goes on a murderous quest for his gold. The girls must fight to stay alive and try to outwit the wee one.
Honestly, I am so disappointed in this movie because Steven Kostanski has directed some gems. The Void is one of my favorite movies of 2016 and I know that Manborg is a cult classic. This is not up to the caliber of Manborg. I can't believe I just wrote that, but it's true.
There are some decent effects in his film, the kills are pretty cool, some of the jokes even land, and Lila is a good character. This movie should work. It probably would have worked if it was a standalone movie, but it doesn't when compared to the first Leprechaun.
Linden Porco is filling some big, buckled shoes. Warwick Davis was hilarious and creepy as the Leprechaun. Porco is kind of perverse; less fairy folk, more creep at a bar. I did enjoy the new makeup design, however.
The biggest problem this sequel has is that it lacks heart. I did enjoy Lila's character, but that's it. The rest of the characters are just there to be sacrifices to the slaughter. I can't even remember their names. It's also lacking in those great one-liners that that made the first film delightful. They do make a reference to the Alabama Leprechaun. So, they get a point for that.
Leprechaun Returns isn't good, it's boring. It's missing the humor of the first one. It's available on Amazon Prime to rent if you want to take a gander, however, I think I'm gonna have to give this sequel a big ol' “Fuck you, Lucky Charms.”
Robin Thompson, HMS
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