Other Titles • The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns • Leprechauns (1999)
Synopses for The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (1999)
1.
Mickey Muldoon is in love. Madly, passionately, intoxicatingly in love. Only one problem. The gorgeous love of his life is a fairy. In the land of blarney of superstition, four-leaf clovers, headless horsemen, and the Grand Banshee, is it so surprising that a young Leprechaun would fall madly in love with Princess Jessica of the fairy realm? Unfortunately, an ongoing rivalry between Mickey and his friends with Count Ruegan, Jessica's cousin and heir to the throne, is only the tip of the iceberg as far as hatred among the little people goes.
When Big Apple businessman Jack Woods rented a summer cottage on the beautiful Emerald Isle as part of a promotion, he had little idea that he would become entangled in a mysterious turn of events that would ultimately threaten Ireland. Having rescued Seamus Muldoon, Mickey's father and the leader of the Leprechauns from a certain death, he is forever in the little chap's favor and is given the power to see "the little people." But even their wit and humor cannot save him when he stumbles across a hot-tempered Irish lass by the name of Kathleen and promptly gets off on the wrong foot with the county's most beautiful inhabitant.
The fires of revolution are slowly simmering in the leprechaun camps as well as the fairy realm and when Mickey and his friends crash the Grand Ball of Fairies (and ultimately meet Princess Jessica), it sets off a chain of events that even Jack cannot stop. The little people enrage the Grand Banshee so much that she removes their immortality. When Count Ruegan is killed in a stick fight between opposing gangs, it turns into a full-fledged war between opposing camps. Jessica is sent away to the underwater kingdom to be out of the reach of this precocious leprechaun and the fairies prepare for war. As their attention is turned elsewhere, Mother Nature beings to suffer and the seasons to change, pelting Ireland with storms such as they have never seen.
I have heard this story as being condescendingly called "a cross between The Wizard of Oz and Romeo & Juliet, but were I the storywriters I would take that as a compliment for both are the most famed stories in history and combined -- as well as with various other elements of classic folklore and fairy tales -- they make for a very charming and heartwarming story. With just the right amount of humor and the fantastic special effects from the creators of The 10th Kingdom, they provide a world rich in color and texture from the gorgeous scenery of Ireland to the fantastic corridors of the Underwater Palace. There are a few elements of caution, if only for younger children who may be frightened by some of the "creatures" that appear and disappear, such as the headless horseman with his glowing red eyes or the fire giant that guards the entrance to the Grand Banshee's abode.
Violence is also prevalent in various scenes, with fist fighting, stick challenges, and plenty of kicking and hitting. Corpses of the little people simply vanish into thin air and while there is no blood or gore, the war sequences may be too intense for little kids. We glimpse Kathleen's bare back as she skinny dips and several leprechaun lasses wear short skirts in a very Riverdance sequence. It's a good film and I enjoyed it even if it was a bit too long and the battle scenes somewhat overplayed. The cast was excellent, each turning out their witty dialog with just the right amount of condescension and the Irish accents, with just the proper amount of "blarney" thrown in, will keep you laughing for hours. Incorporating a Romeo & Juliet twist between the two lovers as well as a sub-plot of human conflict and just the right amount of suspense, Hallmark and Artisan Entertainment have brought us once again a fairy tale worthy of praise.
(25 votes)
2.
There's a war goin' on in this bit o' blarney, but it's more than the feud between the fairies and the leprechauns, upon which most of the overwrought tale hangs. It's also a struggle between competing, derivative story lines in this bloated, plodding film that can't decide what it wants to be. It's part Romeo and Juliet, via the seemingly doomed romance of the princess fairy and teenage leprechaun; part contemporary romance, with an uncomfortable-looking Randy Quaid in the romantic lead; and a large part unfocused fable that fills out its Irish stew with a feud reminiscent of Ireland's Catholic-Protestant conflict while throwing in fantastical Braveheart-style battle scenes and Riverdance-like interludes. The most stunning scenes are the fairy sequences that take place in a futuristic castle in the sky (think Wizard of Oz meets Star Wars) and the epic battles with innovative leprechaun bark-and-stick armor. It all makes for a jumble of a long movie, which originally aired as a miniseries on NBC. --Valerie J. Nelson
(17 votes)
3.
A businessman (Quaid) rents a cottage on the magical Emerald Isle which happens to inhabit leprechauns and fairies. One night at a party, a young leprechaun falls in love with a fairy princess. Their forbidden romance starts a war between the mythical communities. The businessman is chosen by the Grand Banshee (Goldberg) to help bring peace to the island which propels him into a wondrously fantastic adventure. A story for anyone who truly believes in magic!
(17 votes)
4.
Welcome to the end of the rainbow, where love, fortune and fantasy await the lucky! Spectacular special effects, a star-studded international cast and a story as timeless as the Emerald Isle itself combine to create a fantastical tale that will touch hearts and dazzle the imagination!
The adventure begins as American Jack Woods (Randy Quaid) finds himself far from home in a quaint Irish village where he reluctantly befriends a ragtag group of lerprechauns. When a forbidden love affair ignites an ancient war between the leprechauns and the trooping fairies, The Grand Banshee (Whoopi Goldberg) warns of impending doom. Jack is appointed to restore harmony...but will peace prevail before the unthinkable happens?
With superb performaces by Colm Meaney, Kieran Culkin and Roger Daltrey, The Magical Legend Of The Leprechauns is a flight of fancy that will weave a touch of mischief and magic into the lives of all who share it!
(17 votes)
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