PopHorror Let's Get Scared
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we have finally arrived at the last installment of the Leprechaun films with Leprechaun: Origins (2014). Although it’s not the worst film in the series, I think most fans agree that it is so bad it’s offensive. What went wrong?
Horror lovers are the most loyal and unconditional fans of any genre. We see every film that hits theaters, we buy movies we didn’t like just to complete our collections, and we go out of our way to watch – or stream – the straight to DVD trash on video store shelves simply because it is a horror film. And I think most of us share the same optimism… “Maybe this one will bring something new to the table or scare me in a new way?” I had that outlook going into Leprechaun: Origins.
Any successful horror franchise has a recognizable protagonist/antagonist that fans keep coming back for, like Freddy, Jason, or Michael. The people behind the Halloween series learned the hard way with Halloween III: Season of the Witch that you can’t remove your main antihero from your movie or you will have a lot of disheartened fans. What’s Lions Gate’s excuse here? To bring back the ‘terror’ in the Leprechaun series? Terror is never what this series ever had going for it. So whats the deal?
Warwick Davis has played the Leprechaun in all 6 films leading up to this one, but was not the one to play the lovable Lep in Leprechaun: Origins. The role instead went to WWE’s Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl. Watching this film, I had assumed he had turned down the opportunity or felt tired as many actors grow to do. To my surprise, he said in an interview he would have loved to play the Leprechaun again if only they had asked. Such a shame! What does that tell us so far? No matter where you put the guy (outer space, Las Vegas, tha hood), we horror fans will continue to watch him. But by removing the iconic Mr. Davis, you are implying that you can entertain or scare us without him. Unfortunately, you let us down there as well.
Here is the synopsis for Leprechaun: Origins:
Set in Ireland, two backpacking couples get lured by locals to stay in a house while waiting to embark on a beautiful hike to the ‘Stones of the Gods’ in the morning. Unbeknownst to them, they are really being offered up as a sacrifice for the leprechaun, a little gray slimy monster completely unrelated to the charismatic leprechaun we have come to know. They discover that by being within a certain proximity of a sacred stone, they are safe from this little creature, and begin to run for their lives, one by one boring body count ensues.
Leprechaun: Origins Fun Facts
Cast: One recognizable face in a mostly unknown cast is genre favorite Brendan Fletcher (Freddy Vs Jason, Masters of Horror, Bates Motel). My favorite on screen moment after his girlfriend hears a strange sound from outside and says, “There’s something out there!” He says, “Lions, and tigers, and chickens and shit.” Charming!
Production: Lions Gate has always owned the franchise but a unique production credit goes to WWE Studios. In Davis’ absence, we have pro-wrestler Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl playing the Leprechaun. Unfortunately, he did not offer any of that familiar stage presence in Leprechaun: Origins while he was sweating it out in silly makeup and latex.
Respectful Nod: The one scene of redemption happening in Origins takes place in its final throwdown; an homage everyone should recognize from the very first film – as our main protagonist defeats the Leprechaun she exclaims, “Fuck you, Lucky Charms!”
I guess you could say I watched this film so that anyone out there who was slightly curious wouldn’t have to. Let this be a lesson to any overly confident filmmaker out there that wants to disrupt a series with a solid fan base: don’t fuck with things that don’t need to be fucked with! Much love, Warwick Davis. You were missed, my man.
