It's rare that a sequel can be better than the original, and while I do not think _Ginger Snaps 2_ is better, it is as good as the original.
What makes this movie great is that it's not trying to be the previous film. Gone are the dark humor, and spooky Halloween fun, this movie is more mature, and subdued.
If you've seen the first movie - and I hope you have - you'll know that it follows two sisters, but it mostly about Ginger herself, whereas this one is all about Brigitte. Ginger does show up [spoiler]How can this be possible when she died? Well, she's not actually there, she appears in the imagination of Brigitte. Split personality? Nah, just a little sister who is coping with guilt/grief over the loss. A great way to still have Ginger in the movie.[/spoiler]
Much like the first movie, this is a story about transformation, only unlike with Ginger, B is fighting the change. In doing so, B has become dependent on wolfsbane. This would already set the movie down a unique enough path, but it goes further. The movie plays out more like a drama or thriller about insanity or a junkie struggling with addiction. Very apt, since B spends half the runtime in a care facility.
The other character who makes this work is Ghost. What can I say about her? [spoiler]First off, I can't say anything without going into spoilers. In fact, just mentioning that there is a spoiler to begin with ruins the effect. Only after seeing the movie do you know that she is out of her mind. This is what demands more than one viewing of _Ginger Snaps 2_: All of the hints are there, and they come across totally different upon a second watch.[/spoiler] I like how she was made an adorable weirdo, a misfit, like B, only the inverse in appearance.
If the first _Ginger Snaps_ was a playful horror movie for goth teens to watch on Halloween, this one is for the same people when they want a more serious watch. The full trilogy is gold, but this one made some bold choices, and stands out as one of the best werewolf movies ever - which is odd, because our werewolf only has a few minutes of screen time.
Truely a gem. I'd recommend this to fans of tense, restrained body horror

The second film in the "Ginger Snaps" series picks up right where the first one left off. Unfortunately, this also means that Katherine Isabelle hardly ever appears at all. I did miss the great chemistry of the Fitzgerald sisters. However, Emily Perkins manages to carry the film on her own. Also, if you have seen some Canadian productions in the past, you will recognize numerous actors here. Even a young Tatiana Maslany plays a significant part and is already demonstrating her talent.

The tone in "Ginger Snap II" is much more serious than in its predecessor. This time, the plot is primarily set in a rehab clinic, which is not an uncommon setting in the horror genre. It works quite well here, too. However, some decisions, particularly the selection of music, ensure that the film feels even more dated than the first. Especially the intro sequence gives you the feeling of having traveled back in time to the early 2000s.

As with the first film, the overall effects are excellent for the budget. The story also has some interesting twists and turns, though some of the characters are a little too cliché at times. As with its predecessor, this film addresses numerous topics that are rarely addressed in other genre films. "Ginger Snap II" could have been a fantastic conclusion to this series.