Directed by: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Written by: David DuBos
Starring: Warwick Davis, John Gatins, Lee Armstrong and John DeMita
Reviewed by: Josh G.
“Ya silly little twit, have you forgotten the charm?
A leprechaun’s gold can do him no harm;
So for pulling this trick,
I’ll chop off your dick!”
A leprechaun’s gold can do him no harm;
So for pulling this trick,
I’ll chop off your dick!”
As bad as they were, Leprechaun and Leprechaun 2 were fun time passers worth most horror-comedy fans’ looks. When I approached Leprechaun 3, I suspected that it was more of the same shenanigans that the original two possessed. After all, a Part 3 couldn’t possibly surpass the magic of the originals. Lucky for all of us, Leprechaun 3 brings with it a charm that makes it larger than it’s allowed to be. Set in Las Vegas, old Warwick Davis is at it again, attempting to kill the greedy devils who live night and day at the casinos, all while gambling with his own luck as well. Bringing in new mythology, much like Leprechaun 2 had, and using stronger magical powers with snappier one-rhymers, Leprechaun 3 is one of the high points in this low budget series.
A scruffy looking man enters a pawn shop with a leprechaun statue holding a medallion, hoping to sell it. For twenty dollars, the shop owner Gupta (Marcelo Tubert) takes it, while the dirty man instructs him not to touch the medallion. Inevitably, Gupta touches the medallion, making the statue come to life. The leprechaun has returned! Meanwhile, young Scott (John Gatins) drives magician assistant Tammy (Lee Armstrong) to the Lucky Shamrock Casino where she works. Although he’s under aged, he sneaks in with his $23,000 cheque meant for school. Greed gets the better of him as Scott gambles away all of his money, and is forced to pawn his grandfather’s watch at the pawn shop across the street. There, he finds Gupta dead on the floor, with a gold coin next to him; the leprechaun’s gold. He wishes that he was back in the casino on a winning streak, and to his surprise, he gets zapped back there! The leprechaun is unamused. His coins grant each individual one wish, and as his treasure flows through the Lucky Shamrock, he’ll have to go through doctors, crooks, aging ladies and magicians to get it back. Las Vegas has become the little green demon’s playing ground, where luck will run out faster than the chips.
Irish dance music signals the event of a Leprechaun film, and it’s present here. Setting the mood can be done no other way. As well, you can’t have a Leprechaun movie without completely changing the rules. First you had to kill the creature with a four-leaved clover. Then you had to blow it up with raw iron. Now, as long as you destroy its gold, he’ll be toast! In Leprechaun 2, we saw a man capture the leprechaun, and in return, he’d be granted three wishes. In Leprechaun 3, it’s slightly different. If you have any of the gold coins, you’ll be granted one wish per shilling. So, one hundred gold coins equals one hundred wishes per person. Amazing. Oh, and I forgot one last thing. In the original Leprechaun, a man was bit by the green monster, but he lived on normally. Scott is bit by the leprechaun, and he starts turning into a leprechaun himself! Then again, maybe it was the leprechaun’s green blood that turned him into the creature. Yes, that must be it. Will our hero escape the wee curse alive? Stay tuned to find out.
Leprechaun 3 likes to portray casinos as filled with two-timing employees and managers, which I suppose isn’t too far from the truth. Then again, I’m not going to judge. It makes for a more interesting film this way. Who wants to watch boring nice people get their dues? It’s satisfactory to watch those who think they’re getting away with evil plans die in inventive ways, such as with a chainsaw. Fazio (John DeMita), a terrible magician, wishes to be the greatest magician ever. For a while, he is. Then comes the leprechaun, who forces Fazio into a box, and saws him in half, revealing his mutilated insides. Sadly, the audience is repulsed by his crafty handyman work. The gore is fair, rewarding viewers with effects that match the previous two films’, but leaves them more amused and content. Leprechaun 3 is funner and faster paced than one and Two. It’s also the first place to look for leprechaun dung (it’s green, by the way).
The wishes are definitely what make Leprechaun 3 a cut above the rest. You get to see people rise in esteem, and then fall into oblivion when the leprechaun finally finds them. A woman’s lips, breasts, and ass grow to the size of three watermelons before she explodes. A man is electrocuted by a nude lady robot. It’s a strange world. The leprechaun doesn’t get off easy either. He’s stabbed with a knife in the head, his mouth is melted, and he’s caught on fire. Tis a bad day to be a leprechaun. Las Vegas is a wonderful new location to place a horror film. It’s bright and sparkly, and filled with villains. It’s not exactly creepy, but it’ll do for fun. Scott acts dumb and is always in awe, but he’s a character that you are sympathetic towards. His rhymes that he spouts out as he turns into a leprechaun is a bit irritating, and you feel a tad embarrassed for the actor, but he’s doing it for pay, remember? Tammy is a huge upgrade from Part 2's Bridget, as she’s tough, nicer, and talented. She’ll be a magician one day; you can count on it! Unless she’s killed in the movie. But I’ll never tell. It’s a Leprechaun secret.
Elvis impersonators? Only in Vegas! He’s a pretty good one too, as he and the leprechaun show each other their moves. It’s one of the multiple comedic scenes, but this sequel has slightly less silly comedy than before, despite the leprechaun dressing up as a preacher and fortune teller. The two men talking about underwear is kind of out of place as well. There’s a lesson in life that’s meant to be learned. Greed will get you nowhere. Live by it. Lionsgate released Leprechaun 3 with Leprechaun and Leprechaun 2 in a triple feature DVD set, with a trailer for all three films, Leprechaun 4: In Space, and Leprechaun 5. It’s a full screen release, but very clean looking and sounds good for DVD. It’s better than the first two, so if you’re ever in a pickle with which sole Leprechaun movie to watch, skip the first two and move right on into Leprechaun 3. You’ll be glad you did. Rent it!
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