Le Monde magique des Leprechauns

So there weren't very many big name movie stars in it, but who cares? Zoe Wanamaker was great and so were quite a few others. If you have no imagination and enjoy stunting the growth of creative minds, you probably won't like this movie. The storyline did have some throwbacks to classic themes, but it was done in such a way that it wasn't tiresome. The scenery was beautiful and anyone that loves Ireland will enjoy seeing the blue skies and rolling green hills. Whomever designed the costumes for the characters must have had fun. The were very pretty and fit the personalities of the respective wearers. Anyone that enjoys a little magic will enjoy this movie.

I think that this was a great movie. My daughter (4) and I have rented it several times. It makes you want to be a kid again and to believe that there really is a magical world that exists. That this world exists in the here and now.

No doubt, Shakespeare is still alive - even in the dawning century. But, undoubtedly, "Romeo & Juliet" has seldom been so much fun - maybe the Bard should have set the play in Eire to begin with, so it could turn out to be rather funny than tragic. I mean, the mini-series is a fun throughout, with all the actors seeming to have had a very good time off the set and performing in great spirit (pardon the pun) as well. All in all, to me, it's an extremely entertaining mixture of the Leprechaun Legend and contemporary humour - and even that some of the Special Effects tend to be a bit behind par doesn't hinder the joy. But what astonished me the most was that Randy Quaid could actually be charming and - believe it or not - good looking. I mean, I always knew, that Quaid was a great and versatile actor, though somewhat tending to be a ham ("Independence Day" for example). But most of his previous roles were anything but "ordinary" and definitely far from "Romantic Hero". So it's not only a surprise but also good to see, that Randy Quaid can now claim that he can play any role and convincingly so. Dennis has finally found his match. And, by the way, Brad, watch your step...

Although this does begin slowly, it picks up nicely and proceeds at a fair pace.

This is basically set as a commentary on the idiocy of war, having set the Leprechauns against the Faeries over nothing more consequential than race. Although forbidden by the Grand Banshee (Whoopie Golodberg), the fighting continues, as the Troopoing Faeries are the "natural enemies" of the Solitary Faeries. They have no pause to battle one another, as Fae Folk cannot die. Having no consequence to war, war seems a trivial thing to these folks. It is discussed with great dramatics, for to these wee ones, it is but a game of acting and playing, regardless of the caustic cause of the war. Once war is taken seriously, they still engage one another to a surprising effect, via the Grand Banshee, who is attempting to teach them to value their lives via reward and punishment.

Too bad humans do not learn from such drastic consequences.

Actually, this was quite enjoyable; featuring some great performances, an interesting story, and decent execution. The story is fashioned after a Romeo and Juliet setting, with good contrast between the two opposing sides, and a clearly defined relationship between the involved couple. Additionally, there is a simultaneous romance involving the humans Jack (Randy Quaid) and Kathleen (Orla Brady).

Endearing characters, enchanting story with solid morals, and magical execution make this a near-classic.

If you like this, you should try Disney's "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," "FairyTale, A True Story," or "Legend: The Ultimate Edition."

This rates an 8.4/10 from...

the Fiend :.

A nice story of Leprechauns and Fairies. It stars Randy Quaid in probably his most subtle role to date, which is fitting and appreciated. Colm Meaney is excellent as the leprechaun, Seamus Muldoon. This movie falls a little short of being a classic in the fantasy genre, but it's a decent enough tale for the St. Patrick's Day season. It was made for television, so it lacks a little of the bigger production but the costumes are good and the special effects aren't bad. Probably the biggest fault of this movie is it's running time at nearly 3 hours. It has a fair bit of romance thrown in along with the battles in the forest, Irish song & dance, and other bits of merriment. I think the wee ones might be more patient with this epic length movie, while older folks may grow a bit weary waiting for it to play out.

**1/2 (Out of 4)