Ginger Snaps (6/10)

[Dehydrator]

GINGER SNAPS (2000)
Directed by John Fawcett

Starring:
Katharine Isabelle as Ginger Fitzgerald
Emily Perkins as Bee Fitzgerald
Kris Lemeche as Sam

my rating 6/10

+++ might contain minor spoilers +

Like with most movies, it took forever for me to see GINGER SNAPS but I was delighted when it was finally at my rental (along with MEMENTO). I properbly need to watch this movie for one more time to be really sure what I think of it, when the credits rolled I was pretty disappointed but now, ten hours later I noticed that the movie kept me thinking about itself for the whole night so it can't be as bad (or as average) as I thought it was.

GINGER SNAPS biggest fault (and it's biggest success) is that it tries to be a werwolf flick and a teen drama at the same time, both aspects aren't always well developed. The worst scene involves a penis-sized tail growing out of Ginger's back, the second worst is the introduction of stoner-man Sam (Lemeche), whose method of getting is weed to his target audience made me want to puke at it's non-realism. This world would be a happier place if weed-dealers could take their big-ass van, park it on the schoolyard and basically yell: "4 Dollars, one gramm!" like it was Ice-Cream. Even sillier are some of the sexual methaphors this movie features for becoming a werwolf, it's not a new idea at all and has been explored about a zillion times better in THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. Don't get me wrong I dig the fact that Ginger's not only howling at the moon, I loved how her personality changed throughout the happenings but sometimes, it just got ridicolous like in that one scene where she, looking like the Borg-Queen from STAR TRECK (I hate STAR TRECK), tries to seduce Sam. Add that the dialogue stinks to high heaven at times ("I hate our Gen-Pool!", "You would like to know how it feels to be in me!" and worst of all, the menstruation-cycle speech at the dinner!), although I guess that it doesn't suck as hard in the original language. The horror aspect is mostly well-done ( exept that crap with the tail ), when Ginger's transformation is finally complete she looks compelling enough. I didn't have any problems with the lycanthropy-cure thing, since it's basically displayed as a "rational" disease (the usual way to kill a werwolf is completely dropped in the movie), a "rational" way of curing isn't the worst thing they can throw in.

I'm quite sure that females can relate to the movie more than I could, I found most of the menstruation aspect a bit silly (in context with a werwolf), I guess it's never been done before in this obvious matter but still, the flick owes alot to THE COMPANY OF WOLVES in the way that SCREAM owed alot to HALLOWEEN. The most compelling thing about GINGER SNAPS are without a doubt the two leads, Kathrine Isabelle and Emily Perkins both have great chemistry together. Too bad that some of the other actors suck ass, in particular their parents who (for most of the time) just sit there like dumb shit. And if Mom really knew what was going on with Ginger, why the hell didn't she jump in earlier? There's quite an amount of gore in the movie, my favorite being this poor bastard's blood being licked off the ground while he's still alive and awake.

To come to an end, GINGER SNAPS is an okay movie with too many issues to be an actual good one. It often borders the line between silly and compelling and crosses the marks on both sides quite often. I'd take THE COMPANY OF WOLVES over it any day, but who am I to have the last word on how menstruation and lycanthropy mixed together feels like?

6/10

[rtatick]

I loved it. I understand why some would not, but it's one of my favorite movies. By the way, the original langues IS English... You heard those lines exactly as they were meant to be heard. (I LOVE the gene-pool line). Heheh... Rock on man... Good review.

[countchocula]

SPOILERS

There's an unfortunate scarcity of werewolf flicks. When one does pop up, most of the time it's either mediocre (Bad Moon), or 100% excrement (Werewolf). I was thankful that Ginger Snaps came along to shower the subgenre with quality. As Dehydrator pointed out, Katharine Isabelle (sexiest lycanthrope of all time) and Emily Perkins practically make this film with their inspired, believable performances as the suicidal siblings. They have a bleak cynicism radiating off of them, intensifying their personalities and making for some great moments of morbid humor. Their "class project" is beautifully deranged and the perfect way to get the film started. The parents are also well-portrayed. I liked how their characters were molded after how their daughters viewed them to be--bland, clean-cut, and blissfully ignorant.

The concept of lycanthropy driven by menstruation is a rather fresh one. I hope this originality isn't tainted and spoiled by the two upcoming sequels that are no more justified than American Psycho 2. This obviously should be left as a stand-alone film. However, there were a couple of plot holes that surfaced during GS that could be answered in the sequels (they probably won't be). For one, whatever happens to the mother? She's last seen making her way through the Halloween party, but then she's dropped from the flick altogether. I realize that there is a deleted scene on the Canadian DVD that clarifies her fate, but why didn't they include it in the final product? Also, I didn't appreciate the incomplete ending. Does Brigitte take the serum or doesn't she? I wanted something a little less ambiguous to wrap things up. The conclusion just didn't fit with the rest of the film.

Excluding the minor plot holes, Ginger Snaps is a fulfilling, morose, well-paced, and thought-provoking horror film that outshines most other direct-to-video releases. By the way, why in the hell didn't this get a theatrical run? I swear, if this unfair treatment of the genre keeps up, I'm moving to Canada!

My rating-4/5

http://www.werewolfpage.com/multimedia/stills/stills/ginger-3.jpg

[Dehydrator]

Good points guys, I'm happy that this flick seems to have a lot of fans, I even feel rather bad that I don't like it more, but I just can't get over some things in the movie (the tail, the tail, I hate the fuckin' tail!). Anyways, does anyone know what's going on with the acting career of the two leads? They both deserve more "mainstream" roles so the general public starts worshipping them too.

As for sequels, I don't get it either. I loved the ending of GINGER SNAPS, I wouldn't want to know any further. IMO, the ending symbolized the ultimate end of the sister's relationship, like most friendships end when one part moves on to another period in life. Why you can't say that for Ginger, I just felt it was ment that way.

Countchocula: Would you mind telling me whatever happened to the mother? I'll properbly never get around to see the canadian DVD so... much appreciated.

[countchocula]

Actually, I haven't seen that deleted scene, but it was described to me awhile back. Apparently, Mom takes the blame for her daughter's doings when questioned by the police. That's all I know. I REALLY wish they would have left that in.

[Kaos]

Warning: Spoliers Ahead


At the party, the mother goes up to the policemen, shows them the fingers of Trina, and claims that she is the one who killed her. The police then take her away. I think that it shows just how much she loves her daughters, however deranged her behavior seems, that she allows herself to be arrested in their place.

I think that the scene was cut for both time constraints, and to improve the pacing of the movie since, at that point, the movie is almost at it's climax (keep your bad puns to yourself, thank you).

[This message has been edited by Kaos (edited 06-21-2002).]

[stevereno]

i liked this movie

very well done

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

[Linus*likes*noise]

Ha ha! Being a Canadian I got the version with all the extrtas and I must say, they do kick ass!

The scene where the Mom confesses is great and the slide show of suicide is also great!

Great!

[Elgyn]

Dehydrator

I agree with you about the guy selling weed everyday right in front of the school. WHAT??!? Maybe things are different in Canada, but in the States no one in their right mind would do that!

However, I disagree about the tail Ginger grows. I liked that part.

Some of the dialouge was bad, yes, but there were some great moments as well. Like when Mom is right about to discover a dead body and Bridgett stops her by yelling suddenly "Mom.....what do guys want?"

And like you said, the chemistry between the two girls was great.

P.S. - This movie has the best opening sequence ever!

[This message has been edited by Elgyn (edited 06-23-2002).]

[countchocula]

"Jesus Christ on a bicycle!"

[dellamorte dellamore]

This is a nice little low budget film one time around.Now if i was a little younger and female,it would probably be one of my favorites of all time.I'm not being a wise guy when i say that it's a chick flick with werewolves.


In most films,or in traditional cultures,men are the aggressors,the ones who seek out the females,Ginger Snaps reversed this phenomenon(if you can call it that),and had the young lady as the sexually aggressive,homicidal,hormone raging sexpot.To me those were the elements that worked,and that whole full moon menstration thing too(even though that's cringe inducing to me,but i digress).


What did'nt work was the cinematography.I understand it was a low budget effort,but they just did'nt take any chances with the lighting,camera angles,filters,it was pretty standard stuff,straight out of film school 101.


The acting was above average with regards too the 2 main characters,but the rest of the cast was non descript.I can't even remember any of them outside the Mother,and only because she was Tom Cruises' wife at one time.

The story is average,at best,nothing too compelling or thought provoking,but definitely mildly ingenious,because of that cycle thing i mentioned before.

The fx were excellent in some instances but painfully cheesy in others.Honestly,i think they could have gotten away with showing even less and it may have been even more effective.


I don't know,i wish someone would make those werewolves films with a strong sense of bravado,that whole barking at the moon bit always worked for me.The misunderstood,frustrated male,prowling the nighttime for his next meal,but forgetting everything in the morning.Hey wait,that sounds like that Jeffrey Dahmer guy,ughh.

[Jason Voorhees]

I enjoyed the film, It was fresh and fun, one of the best werewolf flicks I have ever seen.

[lilthrillseekr]

hehe this is on of the great movies that i have seen... i realy had a great time watching this movie... i especialy loved the underlining sarcasm that was dripping off of every coment..and it was a great slow transformation to insanity... nice