Leprechaun 4: In Space

Trimark | minutes | | | Standard DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

The leprechaun (Warwick Davis) is back once again and this time, he has plans to rule the entire universe. His stash of gold is always under attack, but this time he plans to use it to gain the affections of a cosmic princess, who has a lot of magical powers. Between her powers and his gold hordes, the two will be able to dominate the universe with ease. But his plans are thrown off course when a team of space marines, who break up the whole mess on their way to battle some aliens, or something like that. The marines assume they have killed the leprechaun, but the little bugger survived and soon enough, he finds his way on board their space station. And of course, he wants to settle the score with the marines and at some point, continue with his plans to take the princess hostage and wed her. Can the marines manage to throw the leprechaun off course, or is he destined to become the most powerful little creep the universe has ever seen?

This is the fourth volume in the series and I have to admit, Leprechaun 4: In Space is my pick for the best this series has to offer. I've liked all five films (to date) in this series and as such, I suppose I don't speak for us all, but this is one hilarious picture. This one takes the humor and outlandish antics even further than part three, which is the main reason I like it so much. As if seeing the little terror in Las Vegas wasn't enough, now he's right in the middle of a bad sci/fi film, how cool is that? I was surprised at how smooth the visuals were, as there are some nice set pieces and costumes, given the nature of this series. I expected some really bad production values here, but I actually think it all looks really good, which helps the film of course. Add in some cool guns, a lot of shadows, a gorgeous woman, and some space marines and viola, you've got all the elements for one heck of a sci/fi satire. I loved the weapons used by our little friend here and of course, he has a wealth of new, hilarious dialogue to deliver. I give this release a massive recommendation and if you're at all interested in this one, don't hesitate to give this disc a spin.

The man behind leprechaun is Warwick Davis, who might be small in stature, but he has sizable talents. Ok, so the guy is buried under latex and a clunky costume, but come on, he really brings this character to life, so no knocks against his performance. I am sure the costume limits his antics, but he manages to bounce around well enough and gives old leppie a spirited persona. In addition to his mannerisms, Davis also supplies the voice and delivers all the limericks with ease, which is a vital element in this series. I admit this kind of role won't win any awards, but since I think Davis really makes this series worthwhile, I wanted to mention his work in this review. Other films with Davis include Return of the Jedi, Leprechaun, Labyrinth, Leprechaun In The Hood, Willow, Leprechaun 3, The Phantom Menace, and Leprechaun 2. The cast here also includes Debbie Dunning (Dangerous Curves, The Misery Brothers), Tim Colceri (Full Metal Jacket, Eraser), Miguel Nunez, Jr. (Street Fighter, For Richer For Poorer), and Rebekah Carlton (Tv's Baywatch).

Leprechaun 4: In Space is presented in a full frame transfer, which is how the film was intended to be shown. This was a direct to video release and as such, isn't as refined as a normal feature film, but I think this presentation is a very good one. The image is sharp and consistent, with a strong presence and no serious flaws I could detect. The colors were bold and vivid, but never too much so and flesh tones also looked good. No issues with contrast either, as black levels are dead on and no visible detail loss is evident. This is a much sharper transfer than I expected, terrific work from Trimark here.

Not a lot to discuss here, the included "ultra-stereo" track is more than adequate, but doesn't offer the range of a full surround option. But given the needs of his material, I have to think this track is up to snuff, with no real flaws to detect. The sound effects are clean and well balanced, while the music comes through in fine form as well. I was unable to spot any defects in terms of dialogue either, all the limericks and one liners sound excellent in this mix. This disc also includes a Spanish language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

This disc includes the film's trailer, as well as bonus trailers.