User reviews

After Dark Films are a production company who've been churning out a series of cheap and cheerful monster and horror flicks for the last decade. For RED CLOVER, it's time for another creature flick as the film throws a monstrous spin on the old legend of the leprechaun. The original title was LEPRECHAUN'S REVENGE, which was much better than RED CLOVER, but perhaps they thought we'd mistake this for a Warwick Davis sequel or something.

RED CLOVER is also a SyFy Channel-produced movie so quality is guaranteed. In actual fact, this is largely forgettable stuff, with various characters wandering around in the woods and getting bumped off by some generic leprechaun monster that looks like a zillion others. There's a little gore thrown into the mix, alongside lots of indifferent acting and a storyline that it's impossible to get excited about.

The most interesting thing about the production, for me, was the inclusion of two hit names in the cast: William Devane and Billy Zane, playing a father/son combination. Devane is the best actor here, even though he's almost unrecognisably aged, while by contrast Zane is on autopilot for the most part. It's a shame that the younger cast members are so lacklustre compared to these old timers.

I was not expecting much from Leprechaun's Revenge, its premise was somewhat hokey and also it was SyFy, whose reputation for mostly awful movies is notorious. So I was surprised that Leprechaun's Revenge was reasonably watchable, even if heavily flawed. What did I like about the film? Well, Leprechaun's Revenge did start off promisingly with some snappy dialogue and a good attempt at an atmosphere. The leprechaun compared to other SyFy creatures is pretty good, used sparingly but this added to the sense of terror I felt, and thankfully less cheap-looking than before. The killings are gory and fun while not being too goofy, the camera work is wonderfully nightmarish, and apart from Billy Zane, who rambles his way through his role, the acting is mostly above average. It is the second half though where the film goes off the boil with a more comic edge that jars with the rest of the film, with the humour rather humourless, the story less suspenseful and more ridiculous, the characters stereotypical and while not irritating not very interesting all the same and the ending rushed and abrupt. On the whole, better than most SyFy outings but the second half is a let down compared to the promise of the first. 5/10 Bethany Cox

The movies that premiere on the Syfy Channel generally range from bad to absolutely unwatchable. This should come as no surprise since these films have typically super low budgets and have drastically short shooting schedules, leaving little chance for them to be well put together. However, a decent film occasionally makes its way onto the air and Leprechaun's Revenge is one of those rare cases where the results of the minuscule budget and rushed production schedule doesn't destroy the end result. While Leprechaun's Revenge still seems like a movie that would have greatly benefited from having more time spent on it, the final cut is much better than the schlocky title implies. The first thirty minutes or so are actually engaging. The opening scene is fairly creepy, the tone is set up perfectly, and its clear from the beginning that the protagonist isn't a stereotypical horror movie moron. Yet for whatever reason, the premise stops being effective after a while and the sense of rhythm that was established in the first half seems off in the second half(which I suspect was due to aforementioned time constraints and budgetary problems). Still, Leprechaun's Revenge remains a great flick to watch on St. Patrick's Day with a bunch of friends and it is certainly more entertaining than 90% of all the other Syfy originals. The cast is solid, the effects are reasonably cool, and there is a sense of humor to the proceedings that's hard not to enjoy.

Note: To clear up any confusion, Leprechaun's Revenge is in no way related to the endless series of Warwick Davis horror pictures. If I had to guess, Syfy was hoping for people to assume a vague relation in order to get viewers to tune in.

Well, for a horror movie that involves a leprechaun as the bad guy and Billy Zane in one of the leads, then I must admit that I wasn't exactly having much of any high hopes for the movie.

But still, with it being a horror movie and one that I hadn't already seen, of course I managed to find the time to sit down and watch the 2012 movie "Red Clover" (aka "Leprechaun's Revenge") from writer Anthony C. Ferrante and director Drew Daywalt.

And I will say that "Red Clover" wasn't exactly a great horror movie. Sure, it was watchable, but it was not a great moment in horror film history. Why? Well, because the storyline was simply too mundane and generic.

I will say, though, that I liked the approach to the fabled leprechaun myth, and it being a bestial creature instead of a small, bearded Irish fella wearing green breeches and a hat. So on that aspect, then "Red Clover" actually scored some much needed points. While the creature design was rather interesting, the execution of bringing it to life on the screen was less than fortunate, because most of the time you just saw the leprechaun in glimpses, and when you do see it for a prolonged period of time, you realize that it is blatantly just a suit being worn.

The acting in the movie was adequate, but it was hard to take Billy Zane serious as a sheriff, especially when he was wearing that hipster hat of his. The movie also had the likes of William Devane and Thomas Francis Murphy on the cast list, whom were familiar faces to me, given my extensive record of watching movies.

For a horror movie then "Red Clover" didn't manage to fare all that well. There are far better horror movies readily available. Sure, "Red Clover" was watchable, but it wasn't a horror movie that stood out in any aspect.

My rating of "Red Clover" settles on a less than mediocre four out of ten stars.

I didn't expect much going into this SyFy/Dark Films produced film and I'm glad about that as I really didn't enjoy it. I'm a fan of horror and bad films but this was just dire. It's a leprechaun themed film given a modern American low budget twist which didn't work for me at all. Filmed with stereotypes and bad acting if you want something more high brow look for the Warwick Davies Leprechaun films instead. When I say bad acting I mean really bad, I wasn't a fan of Billy Zane's wooden style before this film and I think less of his abilities after watching this. If I had written down all the stereotypes I'd have expected knowing this film had a leprechaun in it before embarking on my viewing I could have played stereotype bingo and I'd have won a full house within the first half an hour; Irish themes, drunks, a red head, folklore, St Patrick's day, a four leaved clover, and green colours. The monster effects were bad, the evil menace in this looked more like a turd goblin than an eerie fairy. The camera work was poor enough to give me a headache. The transitions and edits from scene to scene tried to be Star War's like but failed outright. The sound throughout was bad, bad dubbing, inaudible conversations and a bad soundtrack. Scenes where a computer was being used did not sync with the acting and was blatantly pre- recorded. Goofs galore and a poor flow to the film. I struggled to watch this once and absolutely won't recommend this or watch it again. If somebody gifted me this film I'd beat them with a stick. Sorry Red Clover or Leprechaun's Revenge or whatever you want to call yourself, you can have 1 out of 10 and like it.

I mean, if you're comparing this to the movies with big-time budgets and big-time stars, then yeah it's not all that great. But for a Syfy original movie, Leprechaun's Revenge is honestly pretty decent. I watched it on St. Patrick's day and I was in a good, Irish-loving mood, so maybe that helped me enjoy it. The basic Syfy movie stuff is here: cheap special effects, a weird-looking monster, some cheesy acting, but the movie also has it's positive points. The script is pretty good and I love the small towns in movies, and Keening has its own special charm. This is definitely a step above what I'd expect from a Syfy original. It seems as if the people involved actually cared to make a good product, and they mostly succeeded. I would have given this movie 8 stars out of 10, but I just had to minus one star because of the silly scene where the leprechaun hops into a car (isn't he from the 1700's? How can he drive?) and runs someone over. It was just too ridiculous to be scary, but the rest of the movie, despite some predictability, was quite enjoyable. By the way, I admit that these lower budget Syfy movies induce some sort of feeling in me that makes me want to watch and enjoy them. Who knows?

I absolutely loved this movie! I'm a fan of "bad" horror flicks and such, but this was a genuinely good and fun flick! It's a perfect mix of horror and comedy, with some genuine startle-moments, some genuine creepiness, and some incredibly good humorous moments.

My biggest gripe was that the ending felt quite rushed and that it ended a bit too abruptly, that there was no final Climactic Showdown as I might've expected, no hand-reaching-up-from-underground-to-grab-the-heroine, no "twist" like that.

Courtney Halverson was a treat to watch, a sort of redheaded Abby Brammell, and showed a fine mix of strength and vulnerability in her character.

William Devane was great as the cantankerous (but right!) grandpa.

Billy Zane was a real treat in all his billyzanian goodness, and delivered some PERFECT humorous lines (especially about his nametag!).

The movie didn't take itself seriously. It was NOT intended to be a straight-up horror flick, but was filled to the brim with self-deprecating humor. Those who poo-pooed "Red Clover" (sorry, but that's the title that flashes on the screen in the movie that I have) obviously didn't "get it". Quips such as "It's like I'm trapped in some bad monster movie and I can't get out." are so up-front and obvious about that, I'm amazed anyone DIDN'T get it.

It's unfortunate that the somewhat abrupt and anticlimactic ending is the last you'll experience of the movie, and what you'll likely remember most, but the rest of the movie, the first 99% of it, is well worth the time spent in giving this little gem a go.

First, take the movie for what it is: a fun horror-comedy that pokes fun of itself with some biting humor. Second, don't expect the antagonist to be the Lucky Charms dood (who's creepy in his own right, granted), but more Pumpkinhead instead. Keep those two points in mind, and you should love and appreciate this flick as much as I do.

While this cheap and cheerful monster movie isn't exactly going to be winning any academy awards it is a bunch of fun and has a good enough premise and lore to warrant another go around if they so wished.

While the effects aren't amazing it is definitely an enjoyable movie to watch and it knows when to make fun of itself while still being serious enough to have some scares and some creepiness, as well as some gory kills.

Overall I think this is a great throwaway monster movie with a solid cast and very few issues that would stop you from enjoying it if you are into cheesy horror flicks. Recommended.

Leprechaun's Revenge (2012)

** (out of 4)

Teenager Karen (Courtney Halverson) goes into the woods with her grandfather and she picks a red clover, which gives her the curse of the leprechaun. According to legend she will die in four days unless she can kill the creature first and thankfully her grandfather (William Devane) believes in the things but her sheriff father (Billy Zane) isn't so open minded. LEPRECHAUN'S REVENGE has no connection to the Warwick Davis series and it's pretty much what you'd expect from something on SyFy. The movie's biggest problem is that the screenplay is pretty bad from start to finish. While watching the movie it really does seem like they filmed it in order and just made things up as they went along because there are events that happen that are never really explained or mentioned anytime going forward in the movie. The ending pretty much comes out of no where and seems rather rushed and lazy. Another problem is that none of the characters are really fleshed out but I'll give this a pass since we are talking about a low-rent B movie. Those expecting a lot of gore won't be too disappointed as we get some cheap CGI gore ranging from arms being bitten off to one poor guy who gets half his face ripped off. The effects are all of the CGI type so don't expect anything too ground-breaking. The special effects in the film aren't all that impressive but I will at least give them credit for making the leprechaun look decent and original. Those expecting the short, Davis type are going to be disappointed because this one here seems more like a green Pumpkinhead more than anything else. I found Halverson to be good in the lead role as she managed to turn in a believable performance and she's quite better that what you'd expect to see from a film like this. Zane, as you'd expect, is all over the place but he's mildly entertaining. Devane pretty much delivers what you'd expect from him. LEPRECHAUN'S REVENGE isn't a good movie and it's mainly going to appeal to fans of "B" movies but I must admit that it's probably the best killer lep movie I've seen and yes I know that's not saying too much.

Starts off great--great tension, atmosphere, characters, mystery. Somewhere along the way, it starts making mistakes. Diminishes Zane's character for no reason. Tries to introduce a romance between the protagonist that doesn't work due to poor writing and absence of chemistry. The creature doesn't quite obey the lore which introduces confusion. Deaths of prominent characters trivialized. It's as though the second half of the movie were written by someone else.

Billy Zane, William Devane, and Courtney Halverson all turn in great performances, but chemistry does not abound, particularly between Zane and the rest of the cast--then again, Zane's character, who is heroic enough throughout the film, is turned into a chump at the end for no good reason that I can see (I've mentioned it twice, so you can tell I'm sore about it--this was going to be a 5-star review but when they did that, they lost a star).

Supporting cast is also strong. I enjoyed Azure Parsons as Deputy Petterson.

It's not a bad movie, but it is disappointing. The first 30 minutes or so feel promising but that promise is not fulfilled.

In the town of Keening in eastern USA, a teenager (Courtney Halverson) inadvertently resurrects a creature linked to her Irish heritage while out hunting with her grandad (William Devane). They attempt to convince her skeptical father, who happens to be the sheriff (Billy Zane), as they try to figure out how to stop the murderous lil' devil.

"Red Clover" (2012) was originally titled "Leprechaun's Revenge," but it has nothing to do with the series featuring Warwick Davis. The creature here is uglier, humorless and more malevolent, ripping faces off, disemboweling victims and cutting a person in half. The scriptwriter wrote "Headless Horseman" and the contemporaneous "American Horror House," as well as directed "Sharknado" the next year. This is cut from the same TV-budget cloth.

Redhead Courtney Halverson is decent as the teen protagonist with her unique look, but she's almost anorexic looking. They needed someone who is able to keep the viewer's attention in a flick of this ilk, like Cindy Busby in "Behemoth" or Danielle C. Ryan from "Snowbeast," both of which came out a year earlier. Erin Karpluk from "Wyvern" is another good example while Joelle Westwood in "The Hunting" is a more recent one.

Yet the green-hued cinematography is welcome and I liked how the actors took the material seriously with an occasional stab at droll humor. The father's explanation for the missing mother, however, is ridiculous and leaves a bad taste, along with the ending in general.

The flick runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

GRADE: C.

Technical quality and special effects totally debatable, simple script, and not very attractive, even for my dubious parameters ... Very regular film, almost bad ... But at least we know Leprechaun (shoemaker), Irish legend ...

An utterly terrific horror film from gifted director Drew Daywaite with screenwriter Anthony C. Ferrante penning a stunning script based on leprechaun legends. The Baton Rouge locations give this motion picture a truly fresh, unique look and add to the atmosphere of unease and surrealism. While this is a terrifying film with some haunting imagery, it is also a story of human relationships, family, and greed. The characterizations by William Devane and Billy Zane are superb and it is indeed their most powerful performances in years. Azure Parsons is also especially good as a courageous deputy who is dedicated to her community. The creature itself is one of the most ghastly and shockingly frightening created for cinema in some time and it's necessary to look away at times because of the intensity of the bloody action. The climax is incredibly shattering and breathtakingly exciting. Overall, a very rewarding cinematic experience from a visionary director.

After accidentally awakening a terrifying leprechaun, a teen and her friends try to use the local legends handed down from their family's past to stop its gold-lust rampage from spreading further through their town's inhabitants intending to find the lost gold it originally hid.

This turned out to be quite an enjoyable creature feature that's actually far better than expected. What makes this one so much fun is that this one goes for a rather enjoyable creature feature here which sets this one up with plenty of exciting action here as the confrontations become quite fun. This gives it a rather nice change- of-pace as the film goes through a series of thrilling action scenes along the way here, including the opening attack in the wood where the hunting pair gets separated in the forest and allows for the introduction of the curse that carries this along. Other big scenes come from the attacks on the townspeople out in the forest here resulting in plenty of tense, thrilling shorter action encounters that makes for some generally enjoyable pacing throughout, while the stalking scenes here featuring the creature following her in the house or the encounter out on the road which gives this one some more great times. As well, there's the different extended scenes including the brewery attack on the teens, the later police hunt there that uncovers the survivors while fighting it off, the fun of the attack on the parade where it rips through the crowd and fighting with the officers to get to the creature and the big finale of the confrontation against the creature where they finally get the upper hand over it. While these are wholly fun in their own right, there's another rather impressive feat here in this one really utilizing the story and setting of the holiday to it's fullest that give off a great sense of suspense and atmosphere during these scenes as well as some nice gore scenes from the brutal kills. The other good part here is that it tends to utilize a lot of actual folklore to make it feel a little more realistic, but that factor also leads into the films' downsides. It still has problems in a rather unexplained creature that's so rooted in mythology that it's merely given the name but not much else about it. It's simply identified as such according to the legends but that's all it gets. This one also has far too much reliance on familiar plot lines and storyline points that don't have any impact or feeling behind it. From the town drunk who's actually right, the overprotective father, the lustful old-time friend who saves the day, there's a lot of these elements here which don't really come close to their intended feelings here because they're so cliché and familiar. Still, it's not altogether terrible and manages to get enough right to be really enjoyable.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.