Leprechaun in the Hood

2000 Trimark Pictures
Directed by: Rob Spera; Written by: Doug Hall and Jon Huffman
Starring: Warwick Davis, Ice-T, and Coolio
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 90 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 4/10

A beafroed Ice-T and an associate discover an urban crypt beneath L.A., full of treasure and a strange statue wearing a necklace. The associate takes off the necklace and the statue comes to life as a psychotic, murderous, rhyming leprechaun. The associate is quickly murdered by the little green-suited fella, but Ice-T wisely throws the necklace back onto the leprechaun, who promptly turns back into an inanimate statue. Ice-T snatches the loot, which includes a magical flute that can put listeners in a trance, and uses the mystical woodwind to turn himself into a successful rap producer. Flash-forward 20 years, and Postmaster P. and his boys are struggling rappers. They decide to rob Ice-T, who has told them they have no future as rappers, but they inadvertently take the necklace off Ice-T's weird leprechaun statue, reanimating the devilish imp. P.P. and the crew get away with the flute, though, and start experiencing rapping success. But can they steer clear of the crazy leprechaun's magical murderous hands...and Ice-T's rage? If not, can they at least get him to stop rhyming?...er the Leprechaun, not Ice-T.
Leprechaun in the Hood is completely ridiculous, but it's literally called Leprechaun in the Hood. Director, Rob Spera, and his writers wisely lean into the stupid, and blimey, is this movie stupid. Warwick Davis gets to chuckle through a bunch of silly limericks in between stabbing people, and wears his silly green suit and top-hat well--I hope he is in on the joke. Actually, I hope everyone is in on the joke. There's not necessarily anything clever here, other than just how stupid the movie is. For example, there's a scene where the rappers visit a church and blow their magical flute. They then rap to the parishioners, in a scene that isn't played for laughs, other than a brief "look, they're cussing in church" moment. The lyrics of the rap focus upon how hard hood-living is, and the difficulties of finding God through these troubles. Coolio is in the audience. He is billed high in the film, but gives a few reaction shots in this scene and then peaces out. To reiterate, three men play a magical flute they stole from a murderous leprechaun so that they can rap serious, existential lyrics in a church attended by Coolio. This is Leprechaun in the Hood.
Have I mentioned yet that this movie is stupid? It isn't scary and is bereft of even a single action thrill. A few guns are fired, but not in any fashion anyone would describe as thrilling. Again, it is only the stupidity that makes this film worth watching. Why is so much effort made to posit that one of the rappers has MacGyver-like knowledge of chemical interactions, when the writers don't put the least bit of effort or research into making his "let's distract the leprechaun" schemes make any logical or practical sense? Why does Ice-T keep the leprechaun in his office so that any kid off the street (literally) can just walk in and unleash him? Does the dream within a dream within a dream sequence in this film exist for any reason other than that one of the writers thought it would be funny to have Postmaster P's blind grandmother try to feed the leprechaun and accidentally stab one of his eyeballs out? Why is anything in this movie here other than because it is the stupidest, laziest, cheapest thing the filmmakers could come up with? 

This is a bad, incompetently made movie. And yet, Leprechaun in the Hood is a movie about a rhyming, magical, serial-killer leprechaun who is terrorizing a very stereotypical version of early 00's inner-city Los Angeles. A competent version of this would actually be a bit disappointing. Stay up too late, get a little goofy, eat a bowl of Lucky Charms, and watch this with your friends. Unless you're lactose intolerant, Leprechaun in the Hood is the perfect recipe for a regret-free night--and I'm not referencing the milk in your cereal.