Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004)

Get it, like the cookie, but more ferocious, like.

Genre: Horror Fantasy (Canada)

Starring: Katharine Isabelle (On The Corner; Ginger Snaps), Emily Perkins ("Da Vinci's Inquest"; It)

Directed By: Grant Harvey ("Whistler")

Overview: Set in the early 19th Century, two sisters seek safety in a Canadian trading outpost, but soon discover it is under siege by werewolves.

Acting: The acting on Katharine's part was good, and the other film veterans too. Emily has a way of overacting constant surprise and fear just a little too much for my liking. The budget seemed good enough to allow the director time for a good production.
Rating: 7

Cinematography: The look of this was more impressive than I expected, based on the two other Ginger Snap movies. The outpost was absolutely gorgeous in it's rustic way, and the historical accuracy looked legit to me at least. There were a couple of time passage effects, a foreshadowing here and there, the gore didn't let me down and that little kid's face was appropriately freaky. Damn professional.
Rating: 7

Script: The writing was typical dramatic horror for the two sisters, though the white men in the camp were well defined in their characters. As horror goes, the story unfolds well enough, though calling it 'good' is a stretch.
Rating: 6

Plot: This is the third installment (and prequel) in a fairly successful Canadian Horror Series, so it's already go that going for it. What's relatively odd (though appropriate I suppose) is that the characters are the same, played by the same people, only in a different setting and era. This would actually be a better stand alone film than part of a series, and it stands alone very well. The movie is just long enough, short as it is. The flow is fairly predictable, yet the ending is unique and the way there is entertaining. Overall though this had the feel of a TV movie more than a feature film, regardless of the ample gore.
Rating: 6

Mood: The mood was pretty good actually. The budget looked good, the costumes and outfits definitely added to the feel, especially the native hunter with all the knives strapped to his chest. The doctor with his leeches, the muskets and the sets all made for a good lookin' period piece. As for horror, it wasn't that scary, but the blood was aplenty.
Rating: 7

Yeah, for as cool as that sword may be, this movie is one big wolf turd

Overall Rating: 66% (More Bark, Less Bite)

Aftertaste: I don't know if they wanted this film to look a whole lot like Brotherhood of the Wolf without all the courtroom drama / investigation aspect of it, but they pulled off the era of it alright, if my Canadian fur trader history of Upper Canada does me justice. After all is said and done though, I knew it would be another mediocre installment of a popular and professional (yet mediocre) werewolf series. I normally would not have seen it had I had anything better to watch or do, but this interminable heat wave makes other tasks difficult. This was strictly a killing time flic, and it did so fine.