Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Leprechaun Returns Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 4, 2019

Technically, Leprechaun has returned already, multiple times. 1993’s “Leprechaun” was a genre lark created to offer oddity to curious audiences, and while success was desired, I doubt anyone associated with the production expected the brand name to carry on for five sequels and one dismal reboot. Now the pint-sized Irish demon is back and the spirit of ghoulishness is pleasantly revived in what’s actually a direct sequel to the original film. While Jennifer Aniston and Warwick Davis have decided to sit out this homecoming (not a surprise), director Steven Kostanski tries his best to revive the magic(?) of the first chapter, delivering plenty of blood and quips, though his helming powers aren’t impervious to lengthy stretches of screentime with obnoxious characters.

After the death of her mother, Tory (originally played by Jennifer Aniston), Lila (Taylor Spreitler) has come to Devil’s Lake to join her sorority sisters in home makeover plan, hoping to turn a North Dakota farmhouse into a green living space. Joining Katie (Pepi Sonuga), Rose (Sai Bennett), and Meredith (Emily Reid), along with Andy (Ben McGregor) and aspiring filmmaker Matt (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins), Lila hopes to make a new beginning with her friends, but she ends up reviving the Leprechaun (Linden Porco), a mischievous monster who’s been dormant for 25 years, now ready to reclaim his missing pot of gold. When the Leprechaun is unleashed on the college kids, his lust for gold knows no bounds, tearing through the residents one by one, setting his sights on Lila, who has a special partner during the siege, finding the ghost of Ozzie (Mark Holton) trying to help Tory’s daughter survive the night and destroy the Leprechaun.

Kostanski has proven himself to be a very capable director with bizarre low-budget entertainment. Once a member of the filmmaking collective, Astron-6, Kostanski has helmed kooky endeavors such like “Manborg” and “Father’s Day,” and recently tested himself with the more tonally extreme offering, “The Void,” securing some level of excitement with any future offerings. What he’s doing making “Leprechaun Returns” isn’t immediately understood, but Kostanski is tasked with not only reviving the series, but making a sequel to the 1993 feature, with hopes to realign the franchise by ignoring the Leprechaun’s past adventures into space and the hood. Such reconnection doesn’t get the creative juices flowing, but screenwriter Suzanne Keilly does a passable job with the return, pairing Lila with Ozzie, who’s initially a small town handyman and taxi driver before he’s sent to the afterlife by the Leprechaun, emerging as a ghost to keep Tory’s child safe. Besides the farmland setting, Ozzie is one of the few direct connections to the previous picture, giving “Leprechaun Returns” a small gift for fans who’ve stuck with the movies since the Clinton Administration.

There’s a green theme to “Leprechaun Returns,” from the titular beast to the farmhouse rehab project, with finds the sorority women working to turn a decrepit home into a stunning example of self-sustaining power. That’s pretty much it for plot, with the characters mixing business with pleasure, keeping drinks and off-camera sex coming, while Lila discovers she has a more important role to play in the house. Far too much of “Leprechaun Returns” is devoted to stale banter among shrill characters, as Kelly is too quick to pad the effort, hoping to reach 90 minutes with annoying sarcasm and lengthy scenes of survivors searching around in the dark for safety (half the movie is lit by LED lanterns). The human side of the sequel isn’t interesting, which is a shame because the feature spends a lot of time with the sorority squad, making the Leprechaun the most compelling element of the picture, often because he’s presented with the fewest lines.

Leprechaun Returns Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Leprechaun Returns" is a film that mostly takes place at night, presenting a challenge for the AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio). Delineation is adequate, retaining key imagery from attack sequences and moments of suspenseful stalking around the house. Compression issues are present, finding banding periodically creeping into view. Colors are agreeable, showcased during sunlit encounters, providing natural skintones and hits of bold green in the middle of the rural setting. Costuming has highlights, and gore zone visits deliver deep red blood. Detail also comes through during scenes of violence, offering viewers a chance to survey the special effects and make-up work on the titular demon.

Leprechaun Returns Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers distinct dialogue exchanges, handled with an appealing range of panicky performances, never slipping into distortive extremes. Scoring is supportive, capturing heated chases with satisfactory instrumentation. Surrounds are active, with decent panning effects for vehicle movement, and a few sharp separation moments, secure spatial relationships. Atmospherics are strong as well. Low-end presents some reasonable weight with developing violence and explosive encounters.

Leprechaun Returns Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Going Green" (19:41, HD) is an interview with director Steven Kostanski, who openly admits trying to make something "goofy" with "Leprechaun Returns," playing into his childhood obsession with practical effects and monster movie magic (and his fondness for "Leprechaun 3"). Kostanski was actually working at a special effects shop when he received the offer to helm the sequel, which would take him to South Africa for production, remaining hands-on with the gory visuals, impressing his actors and producers. Casting is recounted, including the difficult task of replacing Warwick Davis, and the interviewee has pleasant memories of Mark Holton, working to do something substantial with Ozzie. The helmer details time with complex effects and retains hope for fan appreciation, also welcoming newcomers to the saga.

• BTS Footage (3:33, HD) is a fascinating look at the construction of practical effects, touring the shop used on "Leprechaun Returns." On-set observation is also included, watching the professionals tend to the details of blood and guts.

• Still Gallery (3:49) includes film stills, publicity snaps, and BTS photos.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Leprechaun Returns Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gore is plentiful in the picture, and when Kostanski gets around to gross material, "Leprechaun Returns" improves tremendously. There's not a big imagination for the mangling of prey, but the little green man scores by driving a drone into the neck of one character, while another is sliced in half by a falling solar panel. It's amusing and disgusting, while Holton offers a spirited performance to maintain Leprechaun menace, forever on the hunt for his pot of gold. The climax is protracted, but there's eventually something of an ending. Two of them to be exact, but Kostanski keeps energy up with Raimi-esque violence and fantasy insanity, securing entertainment value once everyone is on the run. "Leprechaun Returns" is a smaller, sleeker production, not quite as scrappy as the original endeavor, but it's better than the dopey sequels and a welcome apology for the 2014 reboot. Kostanski should really be working with material that matches his imagination and wonderfully silly sense of humor, but this career detour is acceptable fun, and the first Warwick-less installment to ease the pain of the actor's absence.