The Last Leprechaun (1998) User Reviews

Underrated but drags

[VanillaLimeCoke · 5/10 · 24 March 2013]

I saw Last Leprechaun on Netflix on St. Patrick's Day just because it was virtually the only leprechaun film there.

It definitely isn't awesome but deserves more than 2.8 / 10 stars.

The main problem with the film is it drags on a bit too much, especially and mainly in the 2nd half. This is a 93 minute film that really should have only been like 70 minutes long.

The first 45 minutes is very good. It's mainly about this only leprechaun in town with a nice hut. Two kids get sent off to live with a stepmother (whom really is an evil witch and has evil plans).

We learn in the second half that the witch has even more sinister plans, but after that the film drags on.

Will the kids thwart the witch's plans and win back their dad? Of course, but the film just drags out too much at the end.

The special effects, secret passageways, and slapstick violence is indeed pretty good. But over awhile, you're asking yourself when does this film end??

The idea was cute but...

[stingaree1 · 3/10 · 24 January 2004]

I love all things Irish and was in hopes this would be a clever movie about an enduring Irish Legend. Instead I saw another version of "Cruella DeVille" acting out an improbable (even for a fantasy) story. The actor who played the leprechaun was good but the rest of the cast seemed to be along for the ride. When the film ended the only feeling you had was "why did I waste my time?"

Junk Science in an average movie

[mewuertz-83197 · 5/10 · 17 March 2016]

I enjoyed this movie offered free by Amazon for Prime members until the junk science of global warming became part of the script. The producers and director didn't even have the foresight to claim "climate change", although the climate has been changing for millions of years before our species came to be.

The IPCC has recently acknowledged there has been no warming for over fifteen years. In those areas of the world where warming has happened and carbon dioxide levels have risen, green areas are on the rise. Carbon dioxide is plant food. We all learned this in our lower level education. Areas of the Sahara desert that used to be arid have greened.

When there is so much evidence that the "green" movement is full of fallacies, the only reason I can imagine for the grasping hold of the "greens" to these fallacies must be that there are still Governments which give funding to "greens" who are still trying to prove that nature isn't nature.

My, and others tax dollars are going to the funding of these misguided or fully cognizant leftists. They should be lined up against a wall.

Even a 6 year old girl hated it

[wingnut77 · 1/10 · 1 October 2005]

This is one of the most vapid, poorly acted movies I have seen in years. I had to force myself to sit through the entire thing, and was quite proud when I made it to the end. . . though saddened by the fact that I had lost that chunk of my life to this travesty. My daughter who is 6 (and God knows the movie tastes of 6 year old girls runs pretty parallel to this dribble)could not even stay awake through it, and it is probably the first movie ever she had no desire to watch again. Yes, that's right, a 6 year old girl refused to sit through this movie a second time. In her words "it was stupid". I think that pretty much sums up this colossal waste of time, and film. It was stupid.

Really really funny.. in the worst possible way.

[user-24606 · 11 January 2008]

My favourite thing about this terrible film are the accents.. not since Natascha McElhone's attempt at the Irish accent in The Devil's Own have i heard such terrible Irish accents. The leprechaun clearly has some sort of strange Yorkshire accent (english), though in fairness he does sometimes sound a bit like he's from Cork - but most of the time he sounds like he's a grumpy little ginger man from coronation street.

The next great thing about the film - the location. Looks like it was filmed in California. Looks precisely nothing like Ireland, and the house which is central to it is clearly an American lodge. In the first five minutes there is an American Lincoln limousine with apparently Irish number-plates which show it to be from Kildare.

The story's great... it has it all - leprechauns from northern england, property development, American landscapes... all tied together with a brilliant 5 second refrain of trad flute music which is repeated over and over in an annoying loop. I love this film!

Children and leprechauns don't always steal the show.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 25 March 2022]

There's obviously no love between the flamboyant witch Veronica Hamel and wealthy businessman Jack Scalia, somehow becoming engaged when she discovers his name on the list of most elegable bavhelors, and supposedly through witchcraft, baby, any day. When she agrees to take the kids in on a vacation in preparation for their wedding, it's not love at first sight for the kids and step mommy-to-be. In fact, he's only a small part of her plan, as evidenced through the presence of a leprechaun Finn Regan McCool (Mick Walter) who reveals himself to be the king. Is that a leprechaun party of one?, because he's the only one we see. The kids spend the bulk of the film trying to convince their dad that she is no good for them, and scheming against her and evil butler David Warner.

The two villains spend most of the film covered in muck, often foiled by the kids as they end up covered in pig sty slop, food and other disgusting liquids. I found myself laughing reluctantly over the juvenile atmosphere, mainly because of the fun that Hamel and Warner were having. When first seen, she's dressed like Joan Colllins on "Dynasty", but once her real nature is revealed, she's closer to Angelica Huston in "The Witches" and Jean Marsh in "Willow" than she is to Glenn Close in "101 Dalmations". Warner, who has spent the bulk of his career playing villains, gets to be a rather buffoonish one here, and he's having a delightful time doing it. Walter gives his all as the leprechaun, but his make-up reiterates the creepy look of those Irish folklore characters. I genuinely expected this to be awful, so it ended up being better (if not by much) than I expected. The special effects are pretty decent, but you may need aspirin after listening to Hamel squealing for 90 minutes.

Charming piece of whimsy

[latakiahaze · 8/10 · 14 July 2003]

A kids movie that adults will have to smile at too. Flawed on the location and accent fronts and questionable when it comes to the cultural heritage of "the little people", the movie nonetheless delivers with slapstick fun, catchy Irish jigs and better-than-average special effects. A whimsical, charming treat for all the family, and Big Mick is excellent with it... to be sure, to be sure!

Big Mick Is a Leprechaun!

[themossybog · 8/10 · 22 December 2006]

What an enchanting story and amazing effects and beautiful photography! Veronica Hamel was superb as the evil Laura and sidekick, actor David Warner was very amusing as well! I was so impressed by the acting of Big Mick Lonegan,who plays the leprechaun. He brought this character to life and I've enjoyed watching this movie several times,just to see his performance.He would have been great in the classic fantasy movie "Legend" starring Tom Cruise,as one of the little elves.The casting director should be awarded for casting him in this unique role! I look forward to seeing more movies with Big Mick,as Im sure I will be delighted!! Highly recommend this movie! Four Stars!

Little wheels within little wheels

[annevejb · 15 October 2007]

Anyone hoping for a story made for an adult audience will likely be disappointed. I am not.

*

As I awaited delivery of the adult version paperback of the princess story, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I re-watched my copy of The Last Leprechaun, 1998, and the central aspect for me was that there is an occasional lookalike to The Supreme Queen, Liesel of A Little Princess 1995.

Looking a bit closer, this was Britteny Bomann, pronounced Britain y Bow Man, born in La, 1 May 1987, in an acting family, and is one of three screen features that she acted in while a girl. All are IMDb dated 1998. All are from Peakviewing Transatlantic PLC. All are filmed in South Africa. All have a fairy theme. Casting is USA and or SA, UK unlisted. Post production in Europe, typically the UK. All include people called Matthews in key roles, Peakviewing is their baby and appears to have started in the UK, I doubt that they are related to Liesel.

As a young woman, Britteny has re-started acting in features and current photos show her looking different.

These early features do not have the power of A Little Princess, nothing like it, but these are still very okay. Okay stories and okay Britteny while reminding me of the power of young Liesel.

These make me muse on Living Stone and Stanley Matthews, but that is unlikely to be sense to anyone else. Reactions to stories as an individual thing.

*

From Peakviewing's UK site, they had formed their international sales wing, then expanded production with a batch of three stories in 1997, to be filmed in South Africa.

Beings, alias The Fairy King of Ar in the UK, was the first of these to be made. I found it to be okay but weaker than Leprechaun.

My problem is the storyline, which bothers about the look of detail, less about other realism. I am finding it worth suspending disbelief and so far I can manage that. The storytelling is okay. All three features feel okay by the standards of features made for children, maybe not by the standards of features made for young adults or Big Girrrs.

*

I found Leprechaun alienating at first, the first few minutes. Now I like it more than the others and as I get to know the others, by occasional viewing, could be I will get to like them as much as this too.

The problem, for me, was the look of the baddie, a Banshee, much scarier than a Big Girr who has deliberately overdone the cosmetics. She is there at the opening looking really foul and I was wondering how many five year olds would get nightmares from this opening. I know that I would have. But this opening does help her look cuter when the comedy starts.

Beings has a bit of that too, but not so conveniently. Beings: Scary looks come in when the boy dreams of goblins and their looks compared to how locals understand them is a theme of this story, they are meant to look foul.

I maybe would prefer these to be PG, but only for that aspect. Doubtless some aged around four will find other reasons so this will be a fairly standard situation with U or G rated features.

I find I need to watch Leprechaun only occasionally, but to do that allows the story to grow addictive. This has charm, as one might hope in a fairy story. Not a charm that springs out as obvious at first viewing. First off, it felt like an encouragement to going to sleep.

Further than that I found the music familiar but helpful. The story to be warm. Britteny looks the most like Liesel in this and it is the one that stands out as the best.

*

Britteny hit on the head by a football, grazed knee, pressure to send her to a school other than her own. Magic, leg healed, school reprieve.

The Little Unicorn was the last of these three to be made. At October 2007 IMDb listed this as 1998 and they often seem to prefer to list by when first shown, but the end credits give 1999, I assume the completion year, and the sleeve gave 2000, possibly when first shown.

End credits say 'In Memory Of Stephen John Howard, 1958 to 1999'. I assume that is someone known to Peakviewing.

There is a lot of fun stuff here, but the hurdle I face is two pieces of grit.

Grit 1, the music. Really big music that gets in the way in a big way, but it was a lot less painful the second time around.

Grit 2 is worst, but it also was a lot less painful the second time around. Brittney has an Irish accent similar to that Fairuza Balk had to use in Worst Witch 1986. I am more a fan of Worst Witch 1998. Brittney is nice, other than that, but hers is not a little role, she is not pretty and silent background.

The fun. A lot of this is the assorted bad guys all trying to do the dirty, covering each other in dirt in the process. Lots of neat comedy.

Fun for me is the mood of other parts, akin to the sampler DVD I have for the Skippy the bush kangaroo 1998 TV series, but only because I know that other DVD. Add my fascination with the young Liesel and there is a lot in this.

Better "switch" to books

[bcm-2 · 17 November 2001]

A nice, little fairytale - but You get more if You read fairytales to the children.

Yes, You can laugh with Your kids on that leprechaun, You can enjoy the special effects, listen to that funny tunes... but better You "switch" to a fairytale book and let the childrens imagination run wild than Your TV set.

And then You will teach them the morals better.