Ginger Snaps (2000)

Director: John Fawcett

Starring: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Kris Lemche

Two death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf.

‘Ginger Snaps’ was the first film in the trilogy, but the second film ‘Ginger Snaps: The Beginning’ was a prequel. In the prequel – which is set in 1815 – Katharine Isabelle and Emily Perkins star as sisters Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald. In ‘Ginger Snaps’, now the second film in the series, the actresses once again star as Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald. Are they immortal? No, they’re not. The Ginger and Brigitte in ‘Ginger Snaps: The Beginning’ are their ancestors. I think they should have given them different names to avoid confusion…

Ginger and Brigitte are at school, and a bit on the weird side. Ginger is sixteen and on the night of her first period, she is attacked by a werewolf when it smells the blood. This attack scene is vicious, but she manages to escape from the beast. Unlike most werewolf movies where the victim almost immediately turns into a werewolf when attacked, ‘Ginger Snaps’ takes a different approach. It shows the slow and painful transformation the victim goes through.

I enjoyed the fact her transformation coincided with her menstrual period, and her coming to terms with hormonal changes. This made those around her merely believe she was going through maturity, instead of changing into a werewolf. As a result, don’t expect a werewolf attack every few minutes. ‘Ginger Snaps’ is slower paced in that regard, but it is interesting, and more realistic. We all know what’s coming, so the process is an exciting journey.

The performances are good, and the make-up made me squirm. The werewolf effects are not the greatest, but the film is so enjoyable in general , I’ll forgive them for that.

‘Ginger Snaps’ received 19 award nominations, winning 10 including Best Limited-Release/Direct-to-Video Film, Best Film, Best Actress and Best Special Effects.

Would I watch it again? Yes.