Customer Reviews

Ginger Snaps 2 - Unleashed

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Note: This review unavoidably contains spoilers for GINGER SNAPS. If you haven't seen it yet, do so. It's a smart, funny werewolf film with tons of character. After you've done that, come back here.

This film picks up some months after the end of the first one. Brigitte has left home and is living on the road, still infected by her sister's werewolf blood and virtually addicted to the monkshood solution that keeps her own transformation at bay. After an unfortunate incident involving a nosy but well-meaning librarian, she finds herself in a rehab center, where she is naturally thought to have a basic chemical addiction. She is befriended by a younger girl called Ghost, to whom life is like the comic books she smuggles in and reads when everyone has gone to sleep; she easily accepts Brigitte's story, and they soon form an uneasy alliance. But Brigitte isn't just running away from her old life; there's a werewolf lurking just outside the doors of the facility that wants her badly.

Emily Perkins was fantastic as Brigitte in the first film, and she deservedly gets the full spotlight this time. Her expressions, her delivery, everything is all so perfect it is impossible to imagine anyone else in the role.

UNLEASHED is a very different film than GINGER SNAPS, but it possesses the same smart writing and feel for its characters. There is some humor, but the film seems darker in tone overall. We no longer have the sisters interacting with each other, though Ginger does make some brief appearances as the voice in Brigitte's head - a device that could have come off very badly, but is sparsely and tastefully utilized. Like its predecessor, this film does not pull any punches, and it treats its audience with respect.

The ending of the first film wasn't exactly all smiles, and neither is this one. But I think it's an honest and realistic resolution to the character's situation. In fact, part of what makes this film great is that it's a logical continuation of the story. It is not a rehash by any means. This is one of the good sequels, and you can pick it up with confidence.

The film on DVD is presented in widescreen and includes some deleted scenes, a closer look at some of the materials used in the film, storyboard comparisons and an interesting commentary track featuring the director and producers.

Having just watched "Ginger Snaps" last week I was surprised to learn that the original 2000 Canadian horror film has become part of a trilogy, with this first sequel, "Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed" and a final prequel, "Ginger Snaps Back," both coming out this year. I was surprised mainly because at the end of the first film Ginger is dead, so I was not really expecting to see Katharine Isabelle back in this one, but the screenplay by Megan Martin finds a way of bringing the title character back. However, the werewolf who needs to be worried about being unleashed in this film is Ginger's younger sister, Brigitte (Emily Perkins, who you may remember as the young Beverly Marsh in the television version of Stephen King's "It"), who had made her sister's curse her own in a tragic effort at sibling solidarity.

Now Brigitte is trying to control the transformations, desperately shooting up injections of wolfsbane. She has also been cutting herself each daily, keeping track of how long it takes to heal because that tells her how close she is to the change (she heals faster the closer it gets). Knowing that the full moon brings on the change would just make things too easy for her. But Brigitte has bigger problems because she is being stalked by a growling four-legged figure who wants a little lycanthropic loving. She survives an attack but ends up in a drug treatment ward for young female addicts. Assumed to be a suicide risk because of all the cuts, the staff is not sure what to make about the monkshood; after all, it is not a stimulate, but basically plant food.

The point of "Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed" is to find out what happened to poor Brigitte. The opening reminds us about what is going on, but if you have not seen the original there is no reason to watch this one because it is the first film that makes us care about what Brigitte can do to avoid Ginger's fate. At one point the memory of Ginger tells her sister that it is not use to fight what is in her. Brigitte insists that she is strong and Ginger's ghost can only laugh and note, "That's not how I remember you the first fifteen years of your life." But Brigitte snaps back, "It's how I remember the last fifteen minutes of yours." Unfortunately, there are some things even worse than what she can imagine will happen (the obvious options represented by Ginger and the prowling wolf beast). As was the case with the first film, Perkins' performance anchors the film from going off into the realms of camp. She is the only one who knows what is going on and does not make the standard mistake of such people in horror films of assuming anybody is going to believe her.

But the big twist in this film is that there is somebody who is more than willing to believe there is a werewolf on the ward. A young girl named "Ghost" (Tatiana Maslany) reads enough comic books about monsters and such to know more than a little bit about werewolves. Ghost is there because the building houses not only the detox center but a ward for long term care patients. Ghost's grandmother was severely burned in a fire and until Brigitte showed up the heavily bandaged old lady was all she really had in the world. Of course, Ghost is strange enough that the other girls pick on her and without conscious thought Brigitte finds herself in a sort of sibling relationship, except this time she is the older and wiser one.

The key members of the staff are Alice (Janet Kidder), the counselor who thinks she has been through what Brigitte is experiencing and can therefore help, Tyler (Eric Johnson), the guard who is only interesting in trading the drugs the addicts crave for sex, and Dr. Brookner (Patricia Idlette), who thinks Brigitte's fears about turning into a werewolf probably means she is a lesbian. The rest of the girls are minor figures, with only Beth-ann (Pascale Hutton) singled out simply because somebody from the cast needs to be reduced to food halfway through the movie.

There are less special effects that the first film, which means the gore level is reduced somewhat. The best sequences involve more imagination than graphic violence anyhow. The film is directed by Brett Sullivan, who was the editor on the original. What carries this film are the relationship between Brigitte and Ghost, especially since the younger girl insists on providing a spooky narration to even the most mundane events, and the fact that you get a surprise ending. Sometimes fate has a wicked sense of humor and there are worst things than being annoying.

"Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed" was shot back-to-back with "Ginger Snaps Back," which is set back in 19th-century Canada as Ginger and Brigitte take refuge in a Traders Fort that is attacked by savage werewolves. Although they are helped by an enigmatic Indian hunter, once again one of the girls will be bitten by a werewolf and the sisters will again find they have no one to count on but each other. The final film in the "Ginger Snaps" trilogy will be directed by Grant Harvey ("Friday's Tired") from a script by Stephen Massicotte and Christina Ray. Too bad I can not plan on just watching it next week.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? This is a sequel worthy of the original in many ways. Although the black humor is toned down a bit from the original, and the lycanthropy-as-menstruation angle has been dropped, this movie still works very well.

Emily Perkins is an absolute joy to watch, and her portrayal of Brigitte really drags you in, sympathizing with her all the way, even as she transforms. Tatiana Maslany's Ghost is a different character, however. Where Brigitte was totally devoted to her sister, Ghost's devotions and affections are tinged with a very-real insanity and inability to hold back from urges we all have.

Katharine Isabelle's Ginger makes a reappearance as a twisted version of Jiminy Cricket, not so much playing Brigitte's conscience as hammering away at it, with comments like "you've got two choices, give up, or give in."

The creature effects are superior this time around, although to me, that wasn't too important. Still, the story holds up very well, which IS important.

I know there's a prequel in the works, but I really hope the "franchise" continues with a sequel to "Unleashed," because without giving anything away, this ending even more that the original is very hopeless and depressing.

I've only seen a screener at current, so no ideas what the deleted scenes or extras will be like.

Take it and run.

"Ginger Snaps: Unleashed" was, ...well "unleashed" on Canadian Audiences January 30th and is due to hit the US on video in April, 2004. When we left poor Brigitte (Emily Perkins) she had just taken her sister's life-recall the incredible basement/bedroom battle scene. As she had been emotionally dependent on Ginger (wolf or no wolf) the loss of her big sis leaves her exceptionally lonely and more maladjusted then ever. Oh yeah, but now she too is a "carrier" and is dependent on her concoction of poisonous monkshood (sp?) to prevent further transformation into wolf form. Her questionable "drug use" buys her a one-way ticket to sucksville-- a drug treatment facility. As with the movie's predecessor, Brigitte's unique personality with its special blend of non-conformity and social dependence, leads to interesting dynamics with the other characters: namely Ghost (Tatiana Maslany), a fellow quirky inpatient and Tyler (Eric Johnson-Teen Tristan from Legends of the Fall) the hormonal and underhanded orderly. And what kind of sequel would this be without our favorite lupa, Ginger...., not much of one! Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps and Freddy vs. Jason) makes a return appearance via hallucinations encouraging Brigitte to succumb to her animal instincts. Jake Mackinnon plays the werewolf who would be more than happy to aid in Brigitte's animal growth...
Although this movie is not as good as the first, it can/does/will stand on it's own. The character development, as was the case in original Ginger, was magnificent. The Canadian backdrop beautiful-as usual--and the FX are improved from the prior film. The only downside...no MIMI (I divorced Tom Cruise before Kidman)ROGERS. She was a hoot in the original movie. Eh, at least we have Ginger Snaps 3: Ginger Snaps Back (prequel) coming in 2004. Happy hunting!

The first "Ginger Snaps" was good, but nowhere near as outstanding as this second entry in what looks to be a long-running yet non-repetitive series. With some time having passed since Part 1, "Unleashed" finds Brigitte (Emily Perkins) alone in the big city, still relying on monkshood (aka wolfsbane) extract to hold off the eventual werewolf transformation, and stalked out by a male monster wolf that regards her as a potential mate. After being found passed out in the snow and mistaken for a drug addict, she's locked up in a rehabilitation center, cut off from her wolfsbane, and still being sought by the beast. Under threat from the monster on the outside and under attack from the monster within herself, and surrounded by manipulative and often sometimes aggressive individuals in the institution, Brigitte finds an ally in an imaginative young girl nicknamed Ghost (Tatiana Maslany) while being increasingly consumed by the dawning bloodlust inside. With greatly improved technical aspects and universally irreproachable performances (Perkins's performance alone is the stuff of which legends are made) and a series of unpredictable twists that step well outside of expectations, "Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed" is a serious contender for the title of best movie of 2004.

I loved the original Ginger Snaps and from reading what the sequel was about, I just couldn't help myself from renting it from the local video store. This is not the normal sequel. It is more of a continuation or aftermath of the first. At the end of Ginger Snaps 1 we are left with the newly infected Bridgette and her sister Ginger dead on the floor. Now we find Bridgette as in the streets of a Canadian city (I forgot which one) who is constantly injecting herself with Monkshood. It turns out that it isn't the cure but that it just delays the effect. One day she accidentally overdoses and collapses. (right after being attacked by a male a werewolf that is stalking her) She is then wakes up at a drug clinic for teenage girls with drug problems, and since she no longer has her Monkshood, her changes pick up the pace.

One thing about the appearance/change of Bridgette is that unlike her sister Ginger (who became sexy as she slowly transformed) Bridgette becomes rather ugly near the end. The way she changes is also different; this could be from her age how she was infected etc. One of Ginger's first changes was that she sprouted a tail. Bridgette on the other hand, grows ears and she must cut off the tips to look normal. The werewolf itself has also changed. It has a lot more hair and is grey in appearance. It also has annoying Jaw thing. By that I mean that it's permanently barring its teeth. I felt that the puppetry in the original was better, but that doesn't drag down the film.

The acting by Emily Perkins as Bridgette is every bit as good as the original. But now that Ginger has been reduced down to appearing as a ghost that only surfaces every now and then, Ginger is replaced by the younger character nicknamed Ghost. A fellow patient who narrates what goes around her. While this is a worthy sequel, what mainly doesn't make it 5 stars worthy is that it still isn't the same/as good. And as for the ending, I can guarantee you that the ending may seem to come out of nowhere and be a slap in the face. If you felt the original was depressing, prepare to be burned at the stake. At first is was considering giving it 3 or even 2 stars. I was that depressed.

But the next day I watched it with Production Commentary; something the DVD of the original didn't have. I understood it a lot better and laughed occasionally. Now this is PRODUCTION COMMENTARY. We do not have Emily Perkins or any other actors. It's just the director, producers, executive producers, etc. It's surprisingly good. After I finished with the commentary, I realized that while what happened to Bridgette may have been a surprise it was essential and necessary and is what comes with the curse of the werewolf.

The other DVD features are ok, not great. But it's certainly better then those found on the original. The only thing that it appears the DVD sold in Canada has more features and I believe even a blooper reel and a preview of Ginger snaps 3. Speaking of Ginger Snaps 3, it will actually be a prequel set in the times of when Canada was a colony. I have NO clue as to how this will work when it has the same characters. My guess is it's a past life thing or something... Hope this helped. Buy it today if you love the series.

Im surprised to see that someone gave this movie a 2. Even though it cant and shouldnt appeal to everyone, the production and acting alone make it worthy of a 3. This is amazingly good for a direct DVD release, expecially considering that the budget had to have been next to nothing.

I really liked this movie, as well as the first. This is the type of mood movie that you either "get" or dont. Even rated as simplisticly as just a "horror movie", this is much better than the typical hollywood shlock that gets global release - but its way more than that. There are dark, smart characters that I think you probably need to be able to relate to, to really like this movie. If you enjoyed movies like Donnie Darko, Heathers, May and other classics, you'll probably like the Ginger Snaps movies.

So thats my 30 second review. Have fun and pass the wolfsbane.

There are moments when you forget that this is a werewolf movie...and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It usually would be, but GINGER SNAPS 2 - UNLEASHED nearly succeeds with becoming another different story: the surviving sister from the first movie finds herself in an institution, fighting her growing wolf tendencies (which the staff keeps mistaking for a drug addiction) and having visions of a full-blown werewolf coming for her.

The characters have more substance to them than you usually find in horror movies. The writing keeps the story interesting, right up to the offbeat ending.

Drawbacks? A little more atmosphere when the wolves show up would've made the special effects more effective. And the pretty girl from the first movie is reduced to dream-like cameos.

Otherwise, an interesting and cool take on the werewolf movie. It's not the loud video game of the UNDERWORLD movies. But that's good.

Ginger Snaps 2 is a creepy gem.The original was a bit dark, but this movie takes the cake in the mood department.This film goes from one cool setup to another,it has great sets and an even better performance by emily perkins than in the original.you watch it thinking you have a pretty clear idea how it will end,but ill bet good money you will be wrong.

It's hard to find a good werewolf movie. Here we've got two in a row!

I'm a huge fan of the original Ginger Snaps -- quirky, funny, twisted, and clever. But honestly, I didn't think that they could pull off a sequel. Thankfully, I was wrong. This movie was indeed a worthy successor to the original, and in many ways improved upon the first. The tone was a little darker and the characters more unpredictable (which are both good things). Some reviewers seem to be unhappy with the ending, but I thought the ending was wonderfully well done, and very much in keeping with the spirit of the first movie. I have to say (shameless of me, I know) that Unleashed's ending truly had... bite ;-)

If you liked the first, you'll love the second. And that's a rarity, especially in the horror film business.