Apart from the fact the movie contains the same two lead actresses (Katharine Isabelle and Emily Perkins) and they both play characters with the same names as their original ones, this second sequel to 2000's Ginger Snaps tries to play itself off as a "prequel" when it's actually just a loose remake of the first only set in 1815.

Isabelle and Perkins play sisters Ginger and Brigitte, who have made an oath to each other of "together forever" while making their way through the cold Northern winter. Along the way they run into an ancient Native seer who warns them with the ominous line, "kill the boy or one sister kills the other".

Eventually they end-up at a nearby trading outpost that's quickly losing its population thanks to the fact that it's come under siege by a group of werewolves. This spells trouble for the sisters when Ginger finds herself bitten by the small son of the fort's leader (who's been transforming into a beast while being hidden away from the others) and it's up to Brigitte to keep their sisterly bond strong while her sibling slowly starts to crave human blood.

With a fairly intriguing story, solid acting all around (Nathaniel Arcand makes a good impression as the fort's Native tracker/hunter), a decent flow to the action, and some memorable moments (like when the priest locks them in a cabin with a wolf and tells them to "burn in Hell"); Ginger Snaps Back plays out pretty agreeably. Sure, it's probably the poorest of the three entries and the finale, along with all it's Native mystic mumbo jumbo, is pretty weak; but it's still better than most werewolf movies that come along (the Howling sequels for example).

As expected from the series the creature effects aren't anything special but they're barely in it anyway, so it's not that noticeable. My biggest problems with the movie is the script including the little boy character (because it's by far the weakest element here) and that Ginger quips "these people are f*cked", which is hardly Colonial times speak.

Director Grant Harvey worked as a second unit director on the first film and co-produced the second (although this was filmed before that entry). (Chris Hartley, 2/20/05)

Directed By: Grant Harvey.
Written By: Stephen Massicotte, Christina Ray.

Starring: Katharine Isabelle, Emily Perkins, Nathaniel Arcand, J.R. Bourne.