The medium of film has produced many a movie series over the past thirty years, most of which are either completely terrible or disappointing. Look at the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, or “The Naked Gun” series; these were terrible movies that should have been stopped after the initial release. No series seems bulletproof, as even the great “Star Wars” showed poor judgement with “The Phantom Menace.” It is my pleasure, therefore, to review the greatest film in the greatest movie series to date: “Leprechaun in the Hood,” of the great “Leprechaun” series.

As is the basis of any good series, “Leprechaun in the Hood” retains its restless midget star Warwick Davis, who plays the role of the greedy Irishman in each of the four previous “Leprechaun” opuses. The film opens with a frozen Leprechaun, magically trapped by a golden chain. Afro-wearing Mack Daddy, played by Ice-T, takes off the chain, awakening Lep. After taking an ass-kicking, Mack Daddy accidentally knocks the chain in the air, where upon descending it amazingly lands back on Lep. Mack Daddy finds Leprechaun’s flute, which mesmerizes anyone in earshot.

Fast forward 20 years, and Mack Daddy has used the flute to create an incredibly successful gangsta rap record label. Meanwhile, a wack rap group led by Postmaster P (“They call me Postmaster P cuz I deliver positivity”) gets dissed by Mack Daddy during a meeting. To get even, Postmaster and his homies infiltrate Mack Daddy’s crib, where they find Leprechaun being used as a table leg. Postmaster P jacks the chain from Lep’s neck, once again allowing Leprechaun to wreak havoc. The rappers escape the scene with the flute, and proceed to be chased by Lep and Mack Daddy for the remainder of the film.

One of the greatest aspects of “Leprechaun in the Hood” is how well Lep adapts with the times. Although he has been out of the scene for over twenty years, he quickly adds the current slang to his vocabulary. Leprechaun sets up shop in the hood almost immediately, recruiting hoes and smoking weed, both of which he calls “the bomb.” When he’s not bangin’ hoochies and getting high, Lep is busy beating down Postmaster P, Mack Daddy and anyone else who gets in the way. He even takes a few bullets to the chest, but you know it takes more than that to take out Leprechaun: He’s a true gangsta from the hood. He even busts a freestyle that puts our current rap stars to shame.

After watching a movie like this you are truly left speechless. Ice-T’s performance ranks with Jennifer Aniston and Clint Howard as the best in “Leprechaun” co-star history, and Warwick Davis proves once again that he is the best small man in the Hollywood game. “Leprechaun in the Hood” is a certified “Straight to Video Classic,” and deserves every bit of that recognition. I can’t wait for the DVD box-set release.