Brigitte (Emily Perkins) destroyed the werewolf that was her sister at the end of the first movie. Now she's infected with the same virus that's slowly turning her, and she senses that another werewolf is on the prowl for her. After an encounter with the thing, she collapses in a snow bank to find herself awakening in and confined to a rehab clinic. And the werewolf is naturally still after her, while she continuously injects herself with monkshood to stave off her inevitable transformation.<br /><br />This intense and gruesome sequel is a worthy follow-up to the superb Canadian werewolf picture "Ginger Snaps". While it may not be completely satisfactory for viewers craving a high body count, it still piles on a fair bit of gore for prime visceral impact. It's got some decent chase scenes and constantly creates a feeling of utter gloom. It's not that there isn't humor, but it's largely of the dark variety, and the film-makers and cast play out their material with total conviction.<br /><br />What certainly helps is that the film looks as if it was filmed during an actual Canadian winter. Knowing full well just how cold and forbidding they can get, I believe it adds to the unrelenting atmosphere of the piece. The cinematography seems to deliberately shy away from most bright colors, and the tension is increased by the low-key but effective music score.<br /><br />There are some standout sequences. Life is clearly not easy for Brigitte; she finds that living life on her terms will come to be difficult and that she will have to make deals to get what she needs. Her late sister Ginger (the lovely Katharine Isabelle makes a welcome return appearance) appears in visions. The intelligent script draws the comparison between the curse of the werewolf and other ills of the young female demographic, and allows the film to refrain from being predictable. It gives Brigitte an offbeat young companion named "Ghost" (Tatiana Maslany) with whom she can share dialog and compare her own bleak world view; "Ghost" is a comic book addict and sees the werewolf persona as an appropriate antihero for a world beset by problems.<br /><br />One will also notice that with the possible exception of minor characters, not a single male individual on hand is sympathetic, thereby accenting the need for females to rely on each other.<br /><br />Co-starring are Janet Kidder (Margots' niece), Brendan Fletcher, and Eric Johnson, with each putting in a solid effort.<br /><br />The ending is an intriguing surprise and worth waiting for, and the film is overall a good entry in its series and a respectable addition to the canon of werewolf films.<br /><br />8/10