In a Violent Nature

Director - Chris Nash (Liplock, My Main Squeeze)

Starring - Ry Barrett (Beyond the Chamber of Terror, The Hoard), Andrea Pavlovic (Become the Wounded, Nosocomephilia), Cameron Love (American Mystery, An Unexpected Killer)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Nature is unforgiving"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've heard genre fans say this is the time for the horror film and I may be obligated to believe them. I've been a champion of indie cinema for decades now and while that does make me feel old, I refuse to turn my back on these passionate and imaginative filmmakers. I love indie horror and how these filmmakers can turn scripts with no budgets into something truly remarkable. That's why I would often turn my back on pop horror. These mindless films often catered to investors pockets instead of the horror fan but that hasn't really been the case in recent years with films like X, Pearl, The Black Phone, Barbarian, and Late Night with the Devil. I recently saw an ad for In a Violent Nature and then a few days later I received a press release featuring some lobby cards they released for the film. I watched the trailer and found myself seriously wanting to see it, so I reached out to them about reviewing it. A few days went by, but I eventually received a link for an online screener. As soon as I finished Isleen Pines I immediately hit play on this one. 

      The film follows a deranged killer that is awakened when a group of campers bother his final resting place near an abandoned fire tower. Now he is making his way through the woods that he lived and died in killing everyone he crosses paths with in the most brutal fashion imaginable. 

      I'm typically the last to see a theatrical release because I rarely rush to theaters for something. Most pop horror films are a bit of a disappointment if you ask me, but I have been surprised by several the last few years. In a Violent Nature is another one that surpassed my expectations. I know this will be a polarizing film among genre fans but if you have patience then this one will pay off. The acting in this one fits the film very well and works but it's acting in a traditional sense. Due to the way the film was shot, the cast is acting out their scene but not always necessarily on camera. I liked the characters we get but the star of the show is the killer... well, his back anyway. The story for this one is nothing we havent seen before but what makes it stand out is the way it was shot. What we have is a story that feels like one of the later Friday the 13th sequels shot almost exclusively from Jason's perspective. We follow an undead slasher who is awakened by teens or twenty-somethings looking to party in the woods. However, instead of following the victims as they are picked off one by one, we follow the killer as he goes about his maniacal business. While I did love this aspect of the film and could easily watch an entire franchise this way, I did find several of the scenes to be extremely drawn out for no reason. I understand the shot and what they were wanting to achieve but it did make for several dull scenes. Finally, this film has some of the most memorable and imaginative kills in slasher history. The on-screen deaths are extremely violent, gory, and very out there. Hell, some of the deaths, while showcasing a lot of imagination and creativity, are so absurd that they almost feel campy and out of place with the film. The effects are top notch, and you couldn't ask for a gorier slasher but some of the kills are so out there that it makes them go against the tone of the film. Overall, In a Violent Nature is one of those horror films that tries to reinvent the genre, or sub-genre, with a new spin on it. While I loved the way it was done and how it approached the slasher sub-genre, I don't see this being a trend that will stick. I would absolutely love to see more in this universe, but I would not want to see every slasher pick this up after seeing this. I absolutely loved it and hope we get another film in this series.