Ginger Snaps has been rightly credited with reinventing the werewolf
genre. It took what had become a tired cliche and modernised it. This film contains no
silver bullets, torch bearing mobs or actors ducking behind couches to put on a hairy wolf
mask.
Instead Ginger Snaps is a modern story of lycanthropism that remains true to the genre's
roots whilst also adding a powerful layer of sexual symbolism. In that way it's similar to
The Company of Wolves, but Ginger Snaps is firmly rooted in contemporary reality. It's also
ambiguous - even the title has (at least) three meanings.
The film revolves around two mid-teenage sisters, Brigitte (Emily Perkins) and Ginger
(Katherine Isabelle). Both are
unhappy, death-obsessed and bored. Also, neither has yet started menstruating.
In the middle-class town where they live some strange creature - the
"Beast of Bailey Downs" - is killing pet dogs. Ginger soon
has her first period and shortly after has an encounter with the Beast.
In the same way that vampirism is now sometimes used as a metaphor for AIDS, Ginger Snaps
uses lycanthropy as a metaphor for puberty and sexual maturation. Ginger changes. At first
these changes aren't mainly physical ones. Instead she changes personality, going from shy frump
to confident nymphomianiac making up for lost time.
The metaphor is obvious: Ginger is growing up. For a while I wondered if the film might be
intended to be purely metaphorical. Although Ginger is the central focus, for the most
part Bridgitte is the main viewpoint character. Are we simply seeing Ginger's
transformation into adulthood through her sister's eyes?
Nope. This isn't either/or literal or metaphor. This is both. Ginger is becoming a
werewolf with all that entails (pardon the pun). She's also growing up.
This certainly isn't a pleasant film. It's not a gore-fest: what blood 'n' guts we do see
is integral to the plot. But there is a lot of blood, not all of it the result of
werewolf attack. Although it has moments of black humour, Ginger Snaps isn't tea-time
viewing.
It is a very intelligent reformulation of the werewolf concept which combines metaphor
seamlessly with a good story. It grabs you from the start with a brilliant and
unforgettable title sequence. Established genre rules are successfully broken and the
whole thing is refreshingly different. It's interesting that the most intelligent and
sympathetic character in the whole film is the local drug dealer!
The acting is excellent. Perkins & Isabelle both deserve praise, in particular
Isabelle's Ginger makes the transition from prude to seductress
magnificently. Mimi Rogers is also superb as the highly embarassing mother.
If it's all so good, why only three stars? Because of the ending. After a climactic (and
otherwise excellent) final encounter it just... stops. Nothing is resolved and we're left with more questions than
answers on both the literal and metaphoric level. Loose ends hang everywhere.
A degree of uncertainty in an ending can work well, but this was too much. I was left
thinking "But... Didn't... What about...". It's as if the need to end on an exciting scene
overcame the needs of good storytelling.
Which is a shame. With just a little more work, Ginger Snaps could have been a classic.
