Runtime: 108 minutes
Directed by: John Fawcett
Starring: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Kris Lemche, Jesse Moss, Mimi Rogers
From: Quite a few different Canadian companies, along with Lionsgate
This is yet another revisit of something from way back when-thankfully, this was as good as I recalled from all those years ago. Back then it definitely felt fresh; unfortunately, many werewolf films are not that good so it was nice to see one that was different... it connected lycanthrophy w/ “a girl turning into a woman”, sisterhood, & followed a pair of rather morbid teen sisters in Ontario; presumably it's all of Canada and not just Ontario where in high school PE, field hockey is apparently played on a daily basis. Much to my relief, the enjoyment and impact of this film has not diminished any.
Another concern was my memories of how some things could have aged poorly... the opening has discussion of the two wanting to “complete suicide” (as the youth like to say it now) and in addition a photo essay done of the two in grisly mock death poses. In my opinion it wasn't too tasteless or out of line. They are just immature teens. The only word of warning is this this should NOT be seen by anyone who thinks that a dog dying in a film is a deal-breaker. Anyhow, it was still quite the journey to see these two outcasts and what happens to Ginger after she's bitten by a werewolf. Thankfully there's the friendly neighborhood drug dealer to try and help Ginger's sister Brigitte.
As stated, Ginger Snaps still feels fresh; besides offering some new ideas on lycanthrophy that does not crap on the standard mythology, there's plenty of gore and practical effects for genre fans. Plus, there are plenty of laughs and for the most part it is still pretty funny. The cast that mostly had unfamiliar faces at the time was fine; it was an amusing role for Mimi Rogers although of course it was Emily Perkins & Katharine Isabelle who stood out the most as the sisters. While it is not a surprise that Isabelle has gotten solid work since this (whether horror or not) it's a shame that the same did not happen to Perkins-both are not only captivating, they are key to the success of this film, especially when it comes to the dramatic moments. The courage for the movie to have some rough moments also is a plus.
Neither sequel has been watched by me-AFAIK they are typical sequels and it's the law of diminishing returns there. The biggest impact that the first sequel probably had was connecting Tatiana Maslany to Orphan Black... Ginger Snaps director John Fawcett also created Black and Maslany had a key role in Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed.
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