Leprechaun in the Hood
(2000)
Reviewed by Scott Marshall
Rating: 8 Beans

arwick Davis is back as the malevolent
munchkin in this, the fifth (and if there is a God,
the last) installment of the Leprechaun saga. It
opens with the slumming Ice-T - how often can
you say that? - finding the petrified little creep in
the basement of a Compton building in the
1970s. You see, if the Leprechaun has a
certain necklace around his neck, he is frozen in
time until the necklace is removed.

Ice and his partner proceed to rob the little guy
of a small flute, some gold coins, and the
necklace, which reanimates the Lep. As usual
he begins spouting sinister rhymes and killing
everyone in sight. After a weak gag where Ice
pulls various weapons from his giant afro, he
lucks into throwing the necklace in the air so
that it lands around the Lep's neck.

The Leprechaun chills for about 25 years;
meanwhile, Ice is now a successful rap
producer thanks to the magical golden flute
(perhaps it's the one from H.R. Pufnstuf?).
Anyone who plays the flute is suddenly a
musical genius and will enrapture their
audience. Obviously, this is one flute that has
gone untouched by Britney Spears.

Cut to a rapping trio who want to go to Las
Vegas and win a contest which will net them a
record and video deal. Problem is, they have no
talent, and are surprisingly okay with that. They
pay a visit to Ice, the big shot producer, who
promises to listen to their tape, and somehow
they get ahold of the flute.

By now, of course, someone has removed the
Lep's necklace and he is strolling about town in
search of his missing gold, reciting bad
limericks and controlling the minds of others.
Am I the only one who is starting to notice a
strange similarity between the Leprechaun and
Yoda..?

Anyway. Naturally the murdering gnome
eventually gets around to Ice and the rap group,
though not before killing a big transvestite. Did I
mention that the Lep also has trio of zombie
ho's? With glowing red eyes? Oh, he does. In
case he wants to be subtle, I guess. I think the
main reason is that it gives the scriptwriter an
excuse to have the rappers dress up as
women- so they can sneak by the ho's, of
course. Tango and Cash would be proud.

I'll stop there because I wouldn't dream of giving
away the ending; suffice it to say that as the
credits roll, the Lep himself performs a rap
number wherein he actually has the nerve to
declare "I'm so bad I'm good." It's a shame-
even a Leprechaun is not immune to the
ravages of crack.

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