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Adolescent sisters Ginger and Bridgette Fitzgerald are looking
for something to spice up their humdrum lives. They get more
than they bargained for when Ginger is attacked by a ferocious
beast that might just be a werewolf...
At
the outset of this low-budget but decidedly cool and witty
variation on familiar folklore, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle)
and Bridgette (Emily Perkins) comprise a morbid clique of
the type seen in Heathers and The Craft. Their
grungy eccentricity, which in general fails to meet with the
approval of their high-school peers, is also reminiscent of
the eponymous protagonist of the animated series Daria,
particularly in the case of Perkins' portrayal of the younger
sister. Their close partnership is soon disturbed, however,
when Ginger begins to undergo a change.
The werewolf legend's undertones of sexual awakening are explored
here in no uncertain terms, as Ginger's transformation happens
to coincide with the onset of her periods. Male viewers will
probably be more squeamish than female ones whenever the subject
of menstruation is discussed eagerly and in some detail by
the girls' mother, Pamela (Mimi Rogers), and by the school
nurse (Lindsay Leese). Rogers is particularly amusing as a
mom trying desperately to be totally supportive of her daughters
whilst simultaneously striving to be completely laid back
and respectful of their freedom. She often spectacularly and
amusingly fails to meet either criteria, as when, in spite
of Ginger's obvious reticence, Pamela insists on celebrating
the occasion of the girl's first period!
Other
darkly humorous scenes include those in which the sisters
attempt to disguise Ginger's gradually developing tail.
The
modest budget means that we don't get to see many fully-fledged
wolf effects, which is actually a good thing in terms of suspense.
Although there are heaps of gore and buckets of blood throughout
the picture - including eviscerated canines a-plenty - it
is often the more down-to-earth elements that prove the most
disturbing. For instance, the ordeals of amateur body piercing
or shaving with a blunt razor are easier to imagine than having
your guts ripped out by a ravening monster, so such scenes
are particularly effective at making the viewer go "ouch".
Moments such as these ensure that, although fantastical, the
film is compulsive viewing.
Don't
be misled by my references to this horror movie's comical
aspects - Teenwolf it ain't!
Richard
McGinlay
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