‘Leprechaun’ (1993) Review

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Over on Kung Pew Video, I’ve been revisiting the direct-to-video relics that raised us. This week:

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What do you get when you mix Celtic mythology, horror, and Looney Tunes-style comedy in the same movie? 

Leprechaun. 

Now that may sound ridiculous, but I actually dig Leprechaun. It’s campy, it’s got some great gags, and honestly, the acting’s better than you’d expect from a movie about a shoemaker with a penchant for violence. So grab yourself a glass of your best Irish, because today we’re talking about Leprechaun.

Back of the VHS

Written and directed by Mark Jones, Leprechaun is a 1993 horror comedy starring Jennifer Aniston, Warwick Davis, and Ken Olandt—one of the great “That Guys” of the late ’80s and early ’90s. 

Mark Jones apparently liked the idea of turning fairy tales into horror movies so much that a few years later he wrote and directed Rumpelstiltskin. Let’s just say that movie didn’t do too well. 

But Leprechaun was a box office hit.

According to Wikipedia, Leprechaun was made for about $900K and pulled in over $8.5M. I don’t know why studios aren’t looking to get away from ballooning budgets and back to this model of filmmaking. But what do I know? I’m just a guy on the internet. 

But let’s do the back of the VHS thing.

A man named O’Grady nicks a pot of gold from a leprechaun in Ireland and brings it home to California–standing in for North Dakota. Unfortunately, the leprechaun he stole it from follows him to the New World, and let’s just say the little guy isn’t too happy about having his loot boosted. 

Shenanigans, murder, Jennifer Aniston looking like a cutey patooty as usual, and mandatory shoe-shines ensue–and if you need more plot than that, Leprechaun is the wrong movie for you. 

Horrifyingly Fun

Now, if you’re watching Leprechaun hoping to be horrified, you’re gonna leave disappointed. Sure, there’s a little gore, but this isn’t nightmare fuel. It’s horror with a heavy dose of humor.

Warwick Davis plays the titular character–the one we’re all here for–and he knows exactly what movie he’s in. He’s not terrifying, and his accent is pretty wonky, but he looks like he’s having the time of his life. He’s giving every rhyme and cackle everything he’s got, and the result is like Shakespeare meets Garbage Pail Kids. 

And some of the gags in this are hilarious. The little guy is ready to murder anyone who gets between him and his gold, but he still finds time to stop and shine shoes along the way. It’s a ridiculous weakness to give a movie monster, but it’s consistent with the fairy tales, and it helps the plot and the jokes along the way. 

I mean, imagine surviving an encounter with an evil supernatural creature because your shoes are dirty.

Davis’s commitment to the bit sells all of this, and his performance is that much more impressive when you find out he actually improvised several of the limericks and one-liners on the spot. 

A Crew of Thespians

And while Davis is the main attraction, the rest of the cast ain’t bad for a movie like this. I might even go a step further than that: the performances in this are pretty much exactly what you want for a movie like Leprechaun. This isn’t Hamlet. The actors seem to know that, and their performances blend well with the genre. 

Don’t expect deep characters, but you will have fun if you go in with the right mindset and leave your poopy pants at home. That’s not to say the movie is perfect, and with any movie like this, you gotta be able to suspend your disbelief. Because the script makes no damn sense at all. The leprechaun’s powers come and go. One minute, he’s got supernatural abilities. The next? Eh, it depends on what the scene needs. That might be a problem for a different kind of movie, but here? It’s all part of the charm.

The Verdict

So, do I recommend Leprechaun?

If you can notice the ridiculousness and still have a good time? You’re in for some fun. If you’re the type to tally up all the inconsistencies in a movie about a murderous, shoe-shining leprechaun, you’re probably not the audience for this. 

Leprechaun is corny. It’s silly, and it’s impossible to take seriously, but that’s what makes it a great October watch for me. It’s a good “not-too-scary” Halloween comfort watch: gory enough to make things a little spooky but fun enough that you don’t need therapy afterwards. 

There’s also something appealing about how simple the whole setup is. Somebody stole his gold. He wants it back. Everybody else is trying not to get murdered.

And somehow, this little menace went on to menace outer space and the hood across seven sequels. Which means it must be good, right?!