Ginger Snaps (2000)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] There's a lot of reasons why this film is more memorable than other teen horror movies. For one thing, everything in Ginger Snaps is kept consistent including, the frights, the irony and the belly aching… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] There's a lot of reasons why this film is more memorable than other teen horror movies. For one thing, everything in Ginger Snaps is kept consistent including, the frights, the irony and the belly aching laughs. The lead duo give it all they've got and that's rarely seen in this type of movie. Backed up with a decent script, an array of likable and real characters and a cleverly built in social commentary, Ginger Snaps suceeds beyond all other films with this over used premise. I'm really surprised this one was forgotten, because it's damn well the coolest one out there.

• EightThirty .

  
  13/07/2010 (ONLINE) <b>My kind of "Chick Flick".</b> This film is dreadfully good and the girls are absolutely what I like, they're dark, deliberate and deadly... indeed a dangerous combination. It's been a while since I've seen a decent… More
  13/07/2010 (ONLINE) <b>My kind of "Chick Flick".</b> This film is dreadfully good and the girls are absolutely what I like, they're dark, deliberate and deadly... indeed a dangerous combination. It's been a while since I've seen a decent "horror flick" and <i>I'm still pretty buzzed out about this movie.</i> I saw the sequel years back and I've always wanted to see where it all started and I'm glad I finally did. This is definitely one for them "Horror Heads" and indeed a treat!

• Wahida K

  
  The prequel was a tiny bit too iritating for me. But I enjoyed the sequel. I am not saying not watch it. It was just perhaps it was me. Well just like the Movie Bloody Mary, this will stay a Mystery why I didnt catch it.

• Marc L

  
  Ginger Snaps, has almost everything I want in a werewolf film. Characters I can relate too? Check. Great scares? Check. A few laughs? Check. Great acting? Check. Meaningful message? Check. Granted, it has a few flaws but for the most part, this is a smart, dark, beautiful film that… More
  Ginger Snaps, has almost everything I want in a werewolf film. Characters I can relate too? Check. Great scares? Check. A few laughs? Check. Great acting? Check. Meaningful message? Check. Granted, it has a few flaws but for the most part, this is a smart, dark, beautiful film that truly deserves it's cult status. It's one of the few feminist horror films out there that is actually REALLY good (Jennifer's Body is another great one, but that's a story for another day) First of all, like I said, this movie has flaws. There isn;t a whole lot of action, and the kills, while being extremely bloody, are almost always off screen. Not to mention we don't even SEE Ginger/Werewolf until the end of the movie. For those expecting an action packed horror movie, you have come to the wrong place. Fortunately, the good outweighs the bad. The actors were all really good, particularly Emily Perkins as Brigette, a social goth outcast who practically idolizes her older sister Ginger. She put plenty of energy and emotion into her performance. Katherine Isabelle did a great job as well as Ginger, she was very realistic in a role that was hard to make seem real. I think the best thing about this film is that I connect with the characters. Both Brigette and Ginger (Mostly Brigette) are bullied mercilessly at school. Ginger, on the other hand, fights back against the system against her. She kicks the dogs of popular kids and beats the crap out of the meanest girl in school Trina. Never have I respected a character as much as I respect Ginger from "Ginger Snaps". "Ginger Snaps" does have an incredibly scary werewolf, once we can actually see it. For a movie that had such a low budget, they really managed to create a cool, and downright creepy looking monster. However, the best thing about this movie is probably the relationship between the two sisters. "Out by 16 or dead on the scene, together forever" as they say. They have a friendship as close as any cinematic friendship I've ever seen, which becomes increasingly difficult as Ginger's lycanthropy causes her to become more sexually active, popular and extremely violent. While "Ginger Snaps" may not be as good as "The Wolfman" it is an amazing movie in it's own right. It has wit, humor and meaning, especially towards the end. I loved it.

• Randy T

  
  Cult classic teen angst with high aspirations and second rate special effects. Credit Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle for keeping it interesting.

• Drew S

  
  Ginger Snaps is deliciously 90s, which makes it a much greater surprise that it was actually made in 2001. In many ways, this feels like the film time forgot, a film ignorant of trends or commercialism, one that kind of does whatever the fuck it wants. It's sloppily structured… More
  Ginger Snaps is deliciously 90s, which makes it a much greater surprise that it was actually made in 2001. In many ways, this feels like the film time forgot, a film ignorant of trends or commercialism, one that kind of does whatever the fuck it wants. It's sloppily structured and cheap, with so much falling apart at the same time that it becomes exhausting trying to keep track of it all. The latter half slows down and deemphasizes the wittiness of the script, which is easily the film's strongest asset. This makes it difficult to truly follow through with unless you're willing to get involved with the characters. They're over the top, much like everything else in this film, but as a picture of razor-edged excess Ginger Snaps satisfies. The dialogue is a perfect union between sharp and ridiculous, sort of like Canadian Juno, and both sisters deliver it with obvious relish. The film seems meant only to please. How can you NOT feel good when the bitchy antagonist gets her due at the hands of the sisters? Perhaps it's a little manipulative in this way, but for me the film worked despite its broadness. Ginger Snaps is maybe a little overrated in its cult canon status, and the metaphorization of puberty through lycanthropy isn't really as clever as people seem to think it is. As a growing-up angst flick fraught with gory werewolf violence, however, it absolutely hits the spot. Lower your expectations accordingly and you'll find this to be a fun, campy ride worthy of your time.

• Morgan S

  
  I think I watched this movie about 4 or 5 times before I saw it the whole way through...This is a great campy movie to watch. Especially durring halloween. I always look forward to seeing it on AMC when they have thier Halloween special on.

• Anthony L

  
  A top Werewolf film! (At last!) The young cast do well as does Fawcett in only his second film!

• Cassandra M

  
  Sisters Ginger and Brigitte are walking through the park when Ginger is attacked by some sort of wolf that leaves her badly cut before they get away. With Ginger on her period already she is upset about the various changes happening to her body but it is apparent to Brigitte that the… More
  Sisters Ginger and Brigitte are walking through the park when Ginger is attacked by some sort of wolf that leaves her badly cut before they get away. With Ginger on her period already she is upset about the various changes happening to her body but it is apparent to Brigitte that the changes occurring to Ginger are more sinister and she tries to find a solution. Despite the fact that the title is far too clever and silly for the film it announces this is actually a very strong teen horror. In the midst of the usual teen slasher movies, this film stands out as one that doesn't fall into the usual clichés (either accidentally or knowingly) and just concentrates on being a good film. The script cleverly uses the changes of teenage years and the changes of the werewolf as one and it works very well on the whole. Ginger's change is gradual and well done by the script. The film is gory but not in a bloodlust type way where teens are bumped off in gory ways for audience amusement. Here the film builds gradually with blood a constant thing but not in a sensationalist way. When the film comes to a close, it does well to not be diminishing by the sight of the wolf itself - often the hint of the creature is better than the actual effects, both work here. The cast are good on the whole. Of course the support cast do play the usual teen stereotypes but, unlike other of this genre, they are not just fodder. The best playing comes from Isabelle and Perkins- the former especially giving a really good performance that makes the script alive. Overall this was a very pleasant surprise - a good teen horror movie. It may lack the clichés of it's peers, and maybe that is why it is not as well known as the others, but it is a great little film and, if you need any further evidence of it's calibre - the ending is one of taste and restraint, words not often associated with teenage slasher movies.

• Dean !

  
  A very cool modern take on the werewolf genre. Mixing in a lot of teenage angst as well, the young cast do very well and the werewolf effects are very good.

• Craig S

  
  <u><b>Directed by:</u> John Fawcett.</b> <u><b>Starring:</u> Katharine Isabelle, Emily Perkins, Mimi Rogers.</b> It is really great to see that there are filmmakers out there who actually love classics and keep in mind what made them so… More
  <u><b>Directed by:</u> John Fawcett.</b> <u><b>Starring:</u> Katharine Isabelle, Emily Perkins, Mimi Rogers.</b> It is really great to see that there are filmmakers out there who actually love classics and keep in mind what made them so great....with Ginger Snaps, it blends genres and reinvents the werewolf genre that has gone downhill these past 10 years and also pays tribute at the same time. The story follows two young sisters, Ginger and Bridget. They are outcasts in there local town and can be seen as 'freaks'. They staged fake deaths in there past time and make a pact about dying together. When the town has someone or something on the loose killing the locals dogs, they decide go out at night to stage a death for a dog belonging to one of the popular bitches at school that they hate. They soon find it to be a Werewolf, a Lycanthrope who bites Ginger and sees her going through stages to becoming a werewolf....or is it just her going through the stages to womanhood? The cover of this film when I first saw it in stores years ago made me think it was a cheap cliche straight-to-DVD flick, but I picked it up anyway and I am glad I did. The screenplay holds up strong and gives us a fresh new take on this genre. It successfully blends two ideas, both real and fantasy and uses the Werewolf mythology and idea as a metaphor for puberty. While being well-written and full of ideas and strong dialogue (with a touch of intentional cheese), it also references many great werewolf flicks and adds a touch of satire into the mix as well. John Fawcett's direction was a little strange to pinpoint at first, but you soon see a knowledge for this genre as he references different elements along the way while never being cliche on purpose and creating great tension. The female cast is strong, although Emily Perkins gives a slightly stiff performance at moments, thankfully it doesn't show a sign of bad acting, but instead a 'transformation (no pun intended) into something great and Katharine Isabelle has the skills to pull off the different elements of her character as she goes through the stages. Whatever you do, do not overlook this film. A critically acclaimed, strangely unknown film from Canada that needs to be seen to be believed. A strong and very promising entry into the dying genre, it successfully melds tension, gore and thrills with thoughtful ideas, strong dialogue and real themes of everyday life. A 'biting' satire that shows respect to the classic genre.

• David L

  
  Ginger Snaps" is an obscure little Canadian werewolf movie that has a kinda cult following in America. The story follows the Fitzgerald sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins). They're misfit high school teenagers, very dark and obsessed with death… More
  Ginger Snaps" is an obscure little Canadian werewolf movie that has a kinda cult following in America. The story follows the Fitzgerald sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins). They're misfit high school teenagers, very dark and obsessed with death and torture (they even constructed a slide show of themselves posing as dead people in many gruesome ways, and showed it to their class for a school project). They're known for their dark personalities, and aren't the most popular kids in school, but they've got each other. Things change one night though when Ginger is attacked by some sort of beast, and then begins having some strange side effects after the attack - both sisters slowly realize that Ginger is becoming a werewolf, and with the help of one of their peers, Sam (Kris Lemche), Brigitte struggles to save Ginger. Definitely an off-the-wall teenage horror movie, "Ginger Snaps" is a very appealing and entertaining film. I'm a huge fan of werewolf movies but have only seen a few good ones (my favorite is probably "An American Werewolf In London"), so I wasn't sure what to expect before watching this movie, but luckily I was pleasantly surprised. "Ginger Snaps" is a nice mixture of a bloody werewolf movie and a teenage drama (with traces of dark humor also) that works surprisingly well. Unlike most horror flicks of the late, the writing here is really good, and the story is refreshing - it's something fairly new, you definitely don't see a movie like this everyday. The characters are believable, and while the situations they're in may not be, they still come off as "real" people. It's strange too because the main characters (both of the Fitzgerald sisters) are so quirky and dark, but they end up having a lot more depth than you'd think. The audience can actually sympathize with them, as hard as that may be to believe based on the first twenty minutes of the movie. These characters develop through the course of the movie, quite strongly. Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle lead the cast here, and I thought both of them did very well. Perkins plays the younger sister who is trying to be helpful to her sister who is in a very weird situation, and pulls it off. Isabelle is the older of the two, and her character makes some significant changes (personally and physically) as the movie progresses, and she does a good job with this. She goes from dark teenage girl to bloody-thirsty lycanthrope, and while she does become a little evil, I still sympathized with her. Both of these actresses were very good and worked well together - they were likable. Kris Lemche plays a drug-dealing side character who teams up with Brigitte to help with her sister's condition, and Mimi Rogers plays the girls' oblivious but caring mother, in a strangely funny role. The cinematography here is notable as well, John Fawcett ("The Dark") crafts the film well, with plenty of great imagery and a moody atmosphere. The werewolf special effects here are magnificent, and I was surprised by that because I was expecting worse Overall, "Ginger Snaps" is a strange little werewolf movie. It's entertaining, spooky, gruesome, and strangely funny on some occasions. It's not your typical teenage horror flick (or werewolf flick, for that matter), and it stands out from the rest of the crowd because of it's unique premise. Anyone who enjoys werewolf movies should definitely check out this flick, it's surprisingly a lot better than you might assume, and likely one of the best horror films in recent years. Give it a chance, you should find it rewarding.

• Jason S

  
  I liked it. I'm a fan of the werewolf movie and I thought that this was an interesting way to go about it. I liked the cast ans the make up for the movie was great. The wolf at the end looked pretty cool.

• Lafe F

  
  A dreary werewolf attack on a group of friends creates tragedy which outweighed any humour they may have thrown in.

• Dr Blood  

  
  A refreshing change to the usual run-of-the-mill werewolf movies as this is from a girl's perspective using werewolfism as a metaphor for puberty.

• Cindy I

  
  A knockout werewolf movie! I really enjoyed this, not that watching people being torn to shreds is necessarily my idea of a good time. The attack on Ginger by the wolf makes Jack's attack in American Werewold in London look like a gently leg hump. Brutal but worth watching.

• Kylie B

  
  Awesome take on the werewolf movie.

• Jens S

  
  The main idea, werewolfism as a metaphor for puberty, is rather interesting and the movie starts out quite good with a creepy title sequence. Especially the Ginger girl has a few really good and disturbingly sexy scenes, Mimi Rogers as super-understanding mum is pretty amusing.… More
  The main idea, werewolfism as a metaphor for puberty, is rather interesting and the movie starts out quite good with a creepy title sequence. Especially the Ginger girl has a few really good and disturbingly sexy scenes, Mimi Rogers as super-understanding mum is pretty amusing. Towards the end the film lacks surprises and follows the lines of most teeny-horror movies. The showdown is dragged out way to long and the creature effects are pretty bad. Could have been better.

• Emily A

  
  Brutal and funny at the same time. Finally a movie about the real metaphor behind the werewolf myth.

• William G

  
  Interesting twist on werewolf tale runs out of budget, ideas at same time.

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