Leprechaun Returns   Starring: Warwick Davis Distributor: Lionsgate RRP: £TBC Certificate: 18 Release Date: 01 April 2019

“You’re not dead! Good for you.”

A new girl joins a group of Sorority Sisters in returning Alpha Upsilon house to its former glory. This includes solar panels for energy, growing vegetables and drawing from a well they have been told contains ‘bad’ water. The girl’s mother had suffered psychological problems leading up to her death, but the girl has no idea the well harbours the thought to be dead Leprechaun. It seeks to reclaim its gold buried near the house, but needs to embark on a killing spree in order to regain its powers. Can the girls stop it? Especially as there is a new complication...

I was led to believe this is a twin release, also including the first film. However, as I failed to receive it, I can only conclude there is a single film release, too. Consequently, I can’t comment except to say this sequel comes 25 years after the original Leprechaun, which emerged in 1993 and again stars Mark Holton in the title role. There are now eight films in this series, but this time around they have taken a leaf out of Halloween’s book by linking the latest film to the first, thereby ignoring all the continuity of the sequels in between.

This might be a shrewd plan, but I’m sad to say that all the horror film clichés are in place here: Teens/young adults as victims – check; a character with a history of psychosis – check; shower scene – check; character with film camera – check; weird local – check; and wise-cracking villain – check. There is even an inexplicable friendly ghost, but it’s not Casper. There are no real scares or building of suspense, and there’s no fun. The whole piece is very flat.

I’m a keen follower of most horror franchises but, judging by what’s on display here, there is no more mileage in this one. With this type of concept the psycho killer has to be somewhat likeable, and yet the Leprechaun is not funny in the vein of Chucky and has little or no personality. The Leprechaun wants its gold and that’s it; far from the depth of character you would expect. The creature reforms several times (Michael Myers repeatedly getting up in John Carpenter’s Halloween has a lot to answer for), and the way is left open for another sequel. Heaven forbid.

3

Ty Power