Warwick Davis returns as the foul-mouthed imp in "Leprechaun 2," a movie that finds the little man concerned about securing a bride. According to the film the leprechaun can only marry once every thousand years or so (I know; he said he was 600 years old in the first installment. What do you want from me? I didn't write any of these movies.). Since it is quite difficult to find a woman when your face looks like a burnt pizza, Leppie decides to use those old Irish charms of magic and trickery when he spots a fair haired lass hanging laundry out in the middle of a forest (!). Things don't work quite as planned, so the leprechaun keeps track of the offspring of his fetching lass through the ages. In fact, a map at the beginning of the film tracks the descendents down through time, even showing a point when one of the women sails to America. The thousand years are just about up, meaning the diminutive beastie must once again find and marry for love, and this time the potential bride is Bridget, a blonde airhead who looks suspiciously like the leprechaun's original cutie from the beginning of the film.

In "Leprechaun 3," the little beastie appears in Las Vegas when a haggard looking fella stumbles into a pawnshop lugging a bundle. It turns out that this package is our old friend the leprechaun, frozen into a statue due to some jeweled necklace. The guy sells the statue to the pawnshop owner for chump change and as quick as you can say "Begorrah," the greedy employee removes the necklace and unleashes the malevolent force that is Warwick Davis decked out in knickers and cheap makeup. The pot of gold appears as well, and since we all know that the slimy sprite cannot stand to see humans pawing his precious coins, the pawnshop guy promptly incurs the wrath of the little devil. It is also during these opening sequences that we learn the rules of the game have changed once again: now the leprechaun cannot stand the presence of other leprechauns, and his gold coins suddenly have the power to grant their possessor one wish. Obviously, this knowledge sets up the idea that another leprechaun will challenge Warwick Davis and that several people will find one of the coins and make wishes.

"Leprechaun 4" is the type of film that only the most metaphysically hardy individuals should watch. As I sat in my easy chair, buffeted by the splendorous emanations pouring out of the television screen and speakers, I pondered whether my mind could handle the multifaceted plot, canyon deep characters, whipsaw fast pacing, and dialogue that surely issued from the mouth of that most benevolent deity watching over each and every one of us from his throne in the stars. Seriously, I am just funning around. We all know, as anyone who sacrificed ninety minutes of their life to watch this dullsville production knows, that this movie reeks to high heaven. "Leprechaun 4" boasts Debbe Dunning, a group of space marines, and the actor who played that geeky guy in "Bachelor Party," the one with the huge glasses that lined up the female entertainment for the Tom Hanks character's hotel bash. Why doesn't "Leprechaun 4" work? Because it boasts Debbe Dunning, a group of space marines, and the actor who played that geeky guy in "Bachelor Party," the one with the huge glasses that lined up the female entertainment for the Tom Hanks character's hotel bash. "Leprechaun 4" ought to come with a syringe of Thorazine because that's the only way anyone will get through this one without significant mental scarring.

It is important to state that "Leprechaun 5" is vastly superior to its immediate predecessor. After watching the diminutive demon cackle his way through space, I didn't know what to expect from this film. I knew I would get some killings and see Davis deliver ham handed lines in a thick Irish brogue, but I swore I would toss my DVD player through the window before I endured a repeat of the fourth movie. Don't get me wrong: this movie still ranks as mediocrity incarnate, but it is at least watchable. Perhaps the appearance of Ice-T and the three actors who played the young rappers looking for a big break helped move this picture along. Even the guys who played the money grubbing minister and the cross dresser who has an unfortunate encounter with the leprechaun provided a few chuckles along the way. Overall, the performances here are far above several entries in the series. That's the pot of gore. Think you can handle it? Luck o' the Irish to ye if ye can!