MOVIE REVIEW: Leprechaun: Origins - 'Nice Rolex'

Director: Zach Lipovsky

Starring: Stephanie Bennett, Andrew Dunbar, Melissa Roxburgh

Release Date: August 22, 2014

The Leprechaun series might have not been the best horror franchise but I must admit, when I heard about a new film that will discuss it's origins - I was intrigued. Nothing like a bit of nostalgia and relive some of my worst nightmares and sometimes biggest laughs as an adolescent by seeing the latest film. I mean this is the same leprechaun that traveled to North Dakota, Vegas, outer space and let's forget about his funniest destination, 'the hood'. But viewers who are like me, watching just for a jog down memory lane, will be truly disappointed and new viewers will be truly confused.

Backpacking through the lush Irish countryside, two unsuspecting young couples discover a town's chilling secret. Ben (Andrew Dunbar), Sophie (Stephanie Bennet), David (Brendan Fletcher) and Jeni (Melissa Roxburgh) quickly discover the idyllic land is not what it appears to be when the town's residents offer the hikers an old cabin at the edge of the woods. Soon, the friends will find that one of Ireland's most famous legends is a terrifying reality.

You really need to sit and wonder who WWE and Lionsgate decided to make this film for. They totally destroy any potential trip down memory lane by doing a complete 180 of the leprechaun. You have to admit, there was nothing actually horrifying of the leprechaun of the past but in Leprechaun: Origins instead of wearing the typical green leprechaun outfit they decided to make the imp bare and transform the 'stare and see what is actually in front of me' leprechaun to a 'gargoyle-esque, you better run because this creature looks like it will have me for brunch' beast. On top of that, not once are the words, "I want my gold," uttered. Potential target audience #1 - disappointed. As for the second, any fan of WWE probably had some interest at minimum to see the film due to the fact WWE's own Dylan 'Hornwoggle' Postl plays the titled character. Wrestling fans might hope to see Postl's acting skills or even see a leprechaun do their favorite wrestling move. Once again, another disappointment as Postl is so consume in it's costume that you cannot tell it is him at all and majority of the film he is hidden in the shadows. Potential target audience #2 - mislead.

Perhaps you're just a fan of horror and that is why you are checking this film out. You are initially disappointed due to nothing original about this film is original. Travelers arrive in a sketchy town and encounter a creature with an uncompelling story. Been there, seen that. Now does the film, actually scare? If it wasn't for director Zach Lipovsky making everything so pitch black than perhaps there might have been a scene or two that would have had the audience on edge or a quick little jump out of their seat. Lipovsky also threw in a couple leprechaun POV shot which were dreadful and makes absolutely no sense why the leprechaun has Predator-like vision. Potential target audience #3 - unafraid.

Now, is this film really an "origins" film? No where near close. Let's drop the fact that we don't even have the same leprechaun in films past but our four travelers did not even take a single piece of gold to be even attacked. Instead, they are locked up in a cabin as a sacrifice from the town's people because they are the one who stole the gold. We are briefly told why and how the gold was taken but we are not shown this process, the process which discovered the leprechaun and initiated his attacks - a true origin. Does this mean we will get another limited release or straight to DVD film that is titled Leprechaun: Origins II - The Real Origins? Hopefully not because I know I won't be tricked into another false walk down memory lane.

Overall, you should just plain out skip this film. Any potential target audience will be highly disappointed but the worst mistake producers made (besides disappointing all viewers) was they did not appeal AT ALL (unless you want to count the only true reference when Sophie screamed, "Fu*k you, lucky charms!") to fans of the original films which can potentially harm their alliance with the franchise.