Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed

Film premier poster

Eric Johnson

Janet Kidder

Katharine Isabelle

***Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed*** (also known as ***Ginger Snaps II*** or ***Ginger Snaps: Unleashed***) is a 2004 Canadian horror film and the second installment in the *Ginger Snaps* trilogy and sequel to *Ginger Snaps* (2000). A prequel, *Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning* (2004), was filmed back-to-back.

## Synopsis

Brigitte Fitzgerald uses monkshood extract to fight the effects of lycanthropy that transformed her sister Ginger into a werewolf. Ginger appears as an apparition and warns her that monkshood only slows her transformation progression and is not a cure. After Brigitte injects a second dose of monkshood, she senses the presence of a male werewolf that has been stalking her. The second injection causes toxic shock, and Jeremy (a flirtatious librarian who brought her books she never checked out) attempts to bring her to the hospital; however, the male werewolf mauls him to death. Brigitte stumbles down the street and collapses in the snow.

Brigitte wakes in a rehab clinic, from which she unsuccessfully attempts to escape. She pleads to be released, but Alice, the clinic's director, refuses. Tyler, a worker at the clinic, offers to trade monkshood for sexual favors, which she declines. As her healing rate accelerates, so does her rate of transformation. Ginger continues to appear, taunting Brigitte as she experiences growing cravings for sex and murder, which Ginger also had. Depressed, she holds the shard of glass to her throat in front of a mirror, but she does not kill herself.

While at the clinic, a girl named Ghost – the granddaughter of Barbara, a severe burn victim at the hospital – follows the clinical staff, who discuss Brigitte's injections of monkshood, and realizes Brigitte's secret. In despair at her rate of transformation, Brigitte allows Tyler to inject her. After the male werewolf tracks Brigitte to the clinic, she and Ghost plan their escape. The male werewolf kills and drags away Beth-Ann, and Brigitte is wounded after she fights the werewolf; however, her wounds heal almost instantly.

Ghost drives them to Barbara's house and explains that Barbara fell asleep with her bedtime cigarette. Brigitte realizes that the effects of lycanthropy are progressing too fast, and with no other choice, the duo arrange a meeting at a gas station with Tyler to procure more monkshood. When Brigitte wanders in the gas station, she discovers the attendant has been slain. Brigitte quickly returns to the car to find Tyler arriving, and, when they return to Barbara's house, Tyler administers monkshood to Brigitte, which her body violently rejects. Worried, Tyler calls Alice. Jealous of the attention that Tyler is getting, Ghost tricks Brigitte into thinking that Tyler abused her, causing Brigitte to lock Tyler outside, where the werewolf kills him. Alice arrives, and Ghost attacks her with Barbara's hunting rifle. Alice confronts Ghost about her delusions, and Brigitte, realizing that Barbara is not a smoker, aggressively pins Ghost against the wall and argues with her; she realizes that Tyler did not abuse Ghost, and Ghost burnt Barbara.

Alice attempts to take Ghost with her, but retreats to the attic once the werewolf breaks in through a window. Brigitte, whose transformation is almost complete, lures the werewolf into the basement. Ghost kills Alice with a hammer, and a weakened Brigitte begs Ghost to kill her before the transformation completes. Instead, Ghost locks her in the basement and illustrates a comic book that depicts herself as a powerful warrior with a werewolf pet. Ghost narrates that Brigitte is getting stronger and is waiting to be unleashed on her enemies. A doorbell is heard, and Ghost prepares to welcome Barbara home.

## Cast

Main article: Cast of Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed

## Timeline of Events

Main article: Timeline of Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed

The events of *Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed* take place on unspecified dates, but most likely several days after October 31 from the first film in September 1999. The months featured in the film is fictional and are completely in-universe.

## Deleted Scenes

Main article: Deleted Scenes

There are eight total deleted scenes featured on the DVD film release.

 Plan to Action

### General

* Taglines for the film are "*Pour la tuer il faudra mourir"* ("It only dies if you do") in the Canadian French release, and "Evil Bites."
* The film was alternatively known as *Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed*, and in the Philippines it was titled *Werewolf: Gingersnaps.*

* Principal shooting for *Ginger Snaps: Unleashed* began on February 3rd, 2003 and concluded on March 14th.

* *Ginger Snaps: Unleashed* was released to DVD by Lions Gate Entertainment on April 13th, 2004. It was also packaged with the *Ginger Snaps: The Trilogy* boxset collection.
* The film had a TV premiere in Sweden on 24 December 2012.
* The credits end with the phrase "No animals or werewolves were harmed during the making of this film."

### Film Details

* Rocky was played by a dog named Trigger.

* The dilapidated hospital used in filming is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and was built in 1967. It had not been in use for many years. It is named Charles Camsell; named after Canadian Geologist, Charles Camsell (February 8, 1876 - December 19, 1958).
	+ The dilapidated area of the hospital in the film was actually a real life abandoned mental hospital, and its state (the paint peeling of the walls and everything falling to pieces) is exactly as the filmmakers had found it.

* In one scene, Brigitte's leg gets snapped sideways and she has to snap it back into place. Reportedly, Emily Perkins used her own leg in the shot (as opposed to a prop leg).
* In the scene where Brigitte is crawling through the vents to try and escape, the vents are made to look twice as long as they are by using mirrors at 45 degree angles. In the final shot as she jumps out at the end of the vent, it is shot in the actual vents of the hospital.
* A lot of the film was shot on location (apart from Ghost's house and the vents), and was the highest budget "Ginger Snaps" film at 4.8 million Canadian dollars.

* Every time Ghost is alone with her burned grandmother, her grandmother subtly tries to hit the call button to get the nurse to come into the room. Also, at one point, Ghost gushes over a comic panel depicting a glorious queen of darkness with evil hellhounds to do her bidding. Also later, when Brigitte is setting up a trap for the male werewolf, Ghost pours gasoline in there for added measure, and we get this rather chilling exchange. Brigitte: How long will it burn? Ghost: (nonchalantly) Barbara took about 27 minutes...

* The scene where Tyler goes in to take back Brigitte's monkshood in the ladies bathroom is actually a ladies bathroom, which caused problems while filming (especially in the scenes of the stall).
* Ginger's appearance changes throughout the movie. By the end, she is in a dark hoodie, looking pale and with bags under her eyes. The reason for this, if you interpret her apparition as a hallucination of Brigitte, is that she represents Brigitte's hold on her humanity and how it deteriorates as her disease progresses (as much as she fights for control more than Ginger ever did).

### Goofs

* On the scene where Tyler injects Brigitte for the first time at the mental hospital, the content of the syringe varies from 1/3 to almost 1/2 full.

* The blood on the closet door appears and disappears when Ginger is trying to get out.

## Further Recommended Films

* Curse of the Werewolf
* Dog Soldiers
* Full Eclipse
* Ginger Snaps
* **Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed**
* Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning
* Howling
* Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf
* Howling III: The Marsupials
* Howling IV: The Original Nightmare
* Howling VI: The Freaks
* Howling: New Moon Rising
* Huntress: Spirit of the Night
* Hybrid
* Silver Bullet
* Teen Wolf
* Teen Wolf Too
* Werewolf of London
* Wolf
* Wolf Man

## Connections

### Referenced In

* An American Werewolf in London (1981)
	+ In both werewolf films, the protagonist sees and converses with their dead friend (whom was also killed by a werewolf)

### Features

* Ginger Snaps (2000)
	+ There are a few audio clips from the first movie and some clips from it are shown.

* Nothing (2003)
	+ The movie that Brigitte watches at Care Facility is Nothing (2003) directed by Vincenzo Natali, who was storyboard artist for the Ginger Snaps (2000).

### Featured In

* Nightmare in Canada: Canadian Horror on Film (2004) (TV Movie)
	+ Clips from the movie were shown in discussion of Canadian women's contributions to the horror genre.
* Filmography: Ginger Snaps (2004) (TV Episode)
	+ Clips are shown and are talked about.
* Beyond Clueless (2014)
	+ Clips shown

## Quotes

Main article: Quotes

**Written on psychologist's notepad after Brigitte explains her lycanthropic transformation**: Lesbian?

**Ginger**: We can't fight what's in us, B.

**Brigitte**: I'm not like you, Ginger... I'm stronger.

**Ginger**: [*laughs*] Oh really? That's not how I remember you the first fifteen years of your life.

**Brigitte**: It's how I remember the last fifteen minutes of yours.

**Brigitte**: My sister and I shared a room.

**Ghost**: A sleepover every night.

**Brigitte**: Kind of.

**Ghost**: Do you miss her?

**Brigitte**: All the time.

**Tyler**: So this is home, huh, Ghost?... Kind of has the Manson family charm.

**Ghost**: When you close your eyes, is it hell you see?

**Jeremy**: I'm onto you.

[*Brigitte looks up at him before going back to her book - he takes one off the shelf and pretends to read it*]

**Jeremy**: You come in here late at night, you stay until all the other avid readers are gone. You're attracted to me but you fear rejection. So you bide your time just kind of waiting for that perfect moment.

[*slams book shut*]

**Jeremy**: Don't worry, I've been dealing with this all my life... I'm kidding.

**Brigitte**: [*half smiles, gets to feet, and gets her book together. Walks past him*] Your fly's open.

**Dr. Brookner**: Brigitte, you have a room of people pretty curious about Brigitte.

**Beth-Ann**: And incidently, a room full of people who think you really suck at suicide.

[*Brigitte glances at the cuts on her left arm and then pulls up her sleeve*]

**Dr. Brookner**: What's your best-case scenario, hmm? Go there.

**Brigitte**: My best-case scenario, Eleanor, is hair everywhere but my eyeballs, elongation of my spine until my skin splits, teats, and a growing tolerance, maybe even affection for, the smell and taste of feces - not just my own - and then, excruciating death.

**Koral**: Dr. Brookner, if she doesn't shut up, I swear I'll make her drink her piss... again.

**Beth-Ann**: PING!

[*throws penny at Ghost's head and laughs, everyone else joins in*]

**Girl**: This is getting so boring.

**Beth-Ann**: It's an ancient game, the throwing of pennies at the local moron or midget!

**Brigitte**: I can't see the TV

[*laughing and throwing continues*]

**Brigitte**: I said I can't see the TV!

[*grabs Beth-Ann and slams her into a wall*]

**Brigitte**: Would you like me to throw YOU at her head?

**Ghost**: Do you turn at the full moon?

**Brigitte**: You watch too many horror movies.

**Ghost**: I'm not allowed to watch horror movies, or technically, to read comics. Or eat gluten - I'm too impressionable.

**Brigitte**: Why does that not surprise me?

**Ghost**: Well, not the gluten thing - that's just digestive.

**Brigitte**: [*looking at elongated ear in mirror, moves back to show Ginger sitting on a chair*] Ginger?

**Ginger**: We really need to talk. These last few days, I've been feeling very left out, watching you hang out with all your cool, new friends.

**Brigitte**: It's starting.

**Ginger**: So it is. Well, you have two options then, don't you? Either give in, or give up.

[*Disappears, but voice remains*]

**Ginger**: It only dies if you do.

**Brigitte**: I'm not gonna die.

**Ginger**: You're starting to understand, aren't you? How it all starts with wanting? What were you thinking when he was in that stall with you? Because even I - really - was shocked.

**Brigitte**: I...

**Ginger**: [*Mimicking Brigitte*] I wanted the monkshood.

**Brigitte**: I just...

**Ginger**: [*mimicking*] I just -

[*frowns*]

**Ginger**: I mean, what did you want when he was pushing up against you? You're starting to figure it out, aren't you? How it all starts innocently enough, today you wanna to fuck him - tomorrow you just wanna bite a hole in his sternum.

**Ghost**: So was that the one that bit you?

**Brigitte**: I wasn't bit, my sister was. And no, it wasn't the same one.

**Ghost**: Well - Well, where did it come from? The infinite darkness?

**Brigitte**: I don't think so, Ghost... more like the suburbs.

**Ghost**: If you weren't bit, then...

**Brigitte**: I infected myself with her blood. I thought I could make her stop if I was like her.

**Ghost**: I always wanted a sister. Where is she now?

**Brigitte**: She isn't, I stopped her.

**Ghost**: You killed your own sister?

**Brigitte**: There wasn't much of Ginger left in what I killed.

**Ghost**: So - So what'd you use? A silver bullet?

**Brigitte**: A knife. They're not superheroes, Ghost.

**Ghost**: It's gonna find, you isn't it? You know the fact that it didn't kill you tonight... that means something. Maybe he's like you, and it's not in his nature to kill, and he secretly wants...

**Brigitte**: Ghost, he wants to mate with me.

**Ghost**: Oh...

**Brigitte**: Don't try too hard to visualize that.

**Tyler**: She realized of course, she'd have to go back to the clinic.

**Ghost**: You realize of course that you're speaking in the third person. It's a little weird. And I'm aware of no such thing.

**Tyler**: What if I said I missed you?

**Ghost**: His words felt empty, just like her head.

**Brigitte**: [*referring to the gas igniting*] How long will it take?

**Ghost**: Barbara took about twenty-seven minutes...

**Tyler**: [*speaking to Brigitte over the phone*] You still there?

[*pause*]

**Brigitte**: Sort of.

**Ginger**: Remember that game we used to play when we were little? The one where we would make ourselves hold our breath until we passed out? Then you'd always get scared and call Mom and I'd get in to trouble? That game really sucked.

**Ghost**: Late at night, in secret chambers, he carried out his reign of moral terror.

**Tyler**: Isn't that mortal terror?

**Ghost**: No.

**Ginger**: You know, the faster you heal the closer he gets B. Or is it that the closer he is the faster you heal?

**Ghost**: Rocky runs, Rocky plays, Rocky misses the good old days.

## External Links:

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed on Wikipedia

*Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed* on IMDb

*Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed* at AllMovie

*Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed* at Rotten Tomatoes

*Ginger Snaps 2* on Ginger-Snaps.com

**The *Ginger Snaps* Trilogy**

**Ginger Snaps - **Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed** - Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning**