"Ginger
Snaps"? Sounds like a biscuit but it's actually a very good
horror movie.
Paul Sims
A cross
between "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Heathers", and "An American
Werewolf In London", the film is destined to achieve cult
status. You can see it at the Broadway.
Brigitte
(Perkins) and Ginger (Isabelle) Fitzgerald are a pair of loners.
The "geeks" of the neighbourhood. Their school projects
revolve around death and suicide to the disgust of their class
mates and teacher.
As sisters
they are very close and have created their own world around
themselves. They admit no one into their lives, least of all
their parents.
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I'll
just hide under the bed |
A vicious
beast has been killing the local canine population. We see
the results of one such killing in the first five minutes
(and let me tell you I felt the blood drain out of me).
On a night
time escapade, Ginger is attacked by the beast and dragged
into the woods.
Although
she survives the attack she is badly mauled. We are treated
to a few glimpses the beast, which as all good movie goers
we recognise as a werewolf.
Before
long Ginger starts to exhibit those classic signs of someone
turning steadily into a lycanthrope. This allows for some
interesting twists and turns as she is a teenager going through
all those hormonal imbalances on top of changing into a creature
of darkness.
Her only
hope is Brigitte, who along with local drug dealer Sam (Lemche),
tries to reverse the process before people get hurt. Some
ingenious cures are tried and provide a very squeamish scene
involving piercing a belly button.
The only
disappointment is the ending which could have been better
for such an inventive film, but saying that, the young actors
are brilliant, the twists inventive and the shocks make you
jump out of your seat.
The special
effects, although on a small budget, reminded me of "An American
Werewolf in London", and like John Landis's master piece of
horror "Ginger Snaps" skilfully combines dark humour
with gore and scares.
Just remember
when you go and see it, don't walk home alone.
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