4/5 More then just a good cookie
  by Sid the Elf (North Pole)
Up until Ginger Snaps Back-The Beginning Sid's only werewolf feature was the Joe Estevez classic "Werewolf" known best for it's b-ness thanks to Mystery Science Theater 3k. We'd been saying more and more how we had to break into the wolfman market, so decided when Ginger Snaps turned up on tv we might as well start now. From here on out we plan to snag as many as we can in the genre with hopes to do The Howling within the next month. It's an area of horror Sid really likes due to the fact you're not messing with a wolf creature. Strong, fast, and smart is not something you want to go up against especially if you're an elf.

The film takes place in Canada 1815, long before Rowsdower & The Final Sacrifice, with sisters Ginger and Brigitte. They wind up roaming the cold snow covered forest after their boat sank claiming the lives of their parent's. Alone and scared they are guided to a fort when they come upon a mysterious Indian guy, no not Apache, and are given shelter while being harassed by the men living there. While in the fort they come to realize their are some pretty rough werewolf creatures tearing the townspeople up left and right. The rest is really a story of survival and revelation leading to some sweet werewolf action.

Can't say Ginger Snaps Back-The Beginning is one Sid feels the need to watch again, but was enjoyed for the one time watch. Like we said it was an easy opportunity to break into the werewolf market we'd been wanting to conquer for a while. If you're looking for a senseless laughable horror then this one won't be for you. It actually does take a bit of attention to really get what's going on. This is typically something Sid can't accomplish on a Thursday night due to a dose of chuck, but a lazy Saturday afternoon with a clear head made it possible. We'd have to say this one probably wouldn't have been enjoyed by a young Sid but did the job for the elf in his current state.


4/5 Not Bad
  by Camryn Jones (Detroit)
I am not usually a fan of gore, supernatural, werewolves, etc. but I truly enjoyed this. I think the setting of the 1800s in the fort and woods works well. I think the relationship of the sisters is well developed and draws us into their world. The other characters are interesting too. The special effects are good despite the gore, and there really is a story here. I will probably watch this again.



5/5 Ginger Snaps Back rocks!
  by Nathan T. Jennings
I'm usually not a werewolf/monster movie buff. But the "Ginger Snaps" series flat out rocks. Ginger Snaps Back is actually a notch above its predeccessor. I loved it.


5/5 Good film, great visuals 4.5 Stars
  by William J. Remy (McArthur, Ohio USA)
Ginger Snaps Back is almost a retelling of the events of Ginger Snaps, except it's set in the 19th century Canadian wilderness. The production value has been majorly improved from the first two, to say that it's visually stunning would be an understatement. They definitely take more time telling the story this time, and the movie flows nicely. One thing that kind of bothered me is that Ginger and Brigitte aren't given a back story, the director states during the commentary that he expects you to sense from the sister's attitudes that they've been up to something awful (that they've killed their parents)... unfortunately it's not as obvious as he hoped, so you pretty much have to watch the commentary to get that. I really enjoyed this one (more than the second), but there's just something lacking that keeps this film from being as great as the original. The DVD has a lot of interesting commentary and behind the scenes features. It would have been nice if there was a commentary with Katharine Isabelle and Emily Perkins, but the distributors wouldn't allow it... probably since Katharine didn't want to do this or part 2.

4/5 The red & the black - sisters in blood united forever!
  by z hayes (plano,texas)
The Ginger Snaps Trilogy is made up of Ginger Snaps, Ginger Snaps II:Unleashed, and Ginger Snaps Back:The Beginning. The pair of sisters are played by the same actresses here - Brigitte[Emily Perkins] and Ginger [Katharine Isabelle] reprise their roles in this prequel [though the last of the trilogy].

In this instalment, the year is 1815 and two sisters, Ginger and Brigitte find themselves orphaned after a shipwreck claims thel ives of their parents. They find themselves wandering around in a forest in wintertime, and meet a 'seer', an old woman who tells them "Kill the boy, or one sister will kill the other." After this prophecy, the pair of sisters find themselves being led to a remote trading outpost by a mysterious Native American, the Hunter [Nathaniel Arcand] where they are less than welcome. Turns out that many lives have been lost under mysterious circumstances - and later, the sisters find out that werewolves are stalking the remaining inhabitants of the outpost. When one of the sisters, Ginger, gets bit by a werewolf, both rally around each other trying to keep Ginger's affliction a secret whilst desperately seeking a cure - what happens forms the rest of the story, with some interesting twists.

The acting by the pair of sisters as in the first instalment, Ginger Snaps, is excellent. Both Emily Perkin's Brigitte and Katharine Isabelle's Ginger do a credible job of portraying a pair of devoted sisters who brave all kinds of peril in order to stay together, even in the most dire of circumstances. However, unlike Ginger Snaps, where Emily Perkin's Brigitte [yes, they retain the same names] seemed to be the sister more in control and protective over her sister, here there is a role reversal - despite being the one who is afflicted, Ginger [Katharine Isabelle] is the one who takes the lead and tries to protect her sister.

Of the three, I would rank Ginger Snaps as the best of the trilogy, followed by Ginger Snaps: The Beginning. The second in the series: Ginger Snaps II:Unleashed felt the weakest. Also, this third instalment [unlike the second] can be watched as a stand-alone.

Besides the well-paced narrative and good acting by the leads, the movie was also beautifully shot - the remote 19th century outpost, the creepy woods, and generally eerie atmosphere permeating the surroundings are vividly portrayed. What I did find wanting was the lack in character development of the other residents at the outpost - at about 1.5 hours long, there was not much time to flesh out most of the characters and the movie could have benefited from a longer running time.

All in all - Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning makes for a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and is definitely worth watching for fans of the genre.