As is very frequently the case with horror franchises, the _Leprechaun_ series started out with a pretty silly premise, but took itself quite seriously, then quickly devolved into parody as the sequels came out. That being the case, this first _Leprechaun_ movie is actually not very jokey (at least, not when you consider the fact that the villain of the piece is a three-foot-tall Irishman with a penchant for skipping, rhyming and polishing shoes). The effects are hit and miss, the acting is not very good, and a lot of the movie is shot too dark to make out properly, but _Leprechaun_ really is an okay horror movie. _Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._