In A Violent Nature is one of the best slasher films to come from this modern renaissance, remembering at its core what it was like to pop one of those slasher films into your VCR for the first time.

Let me set a scene for you. Set in the year 2003 no less. I was but a 10-year old kid but my parents had kickstarted my love for horror films by showing me the original Halloween and Scream films. Wanting to know more of the genre I begged my father to take me to Blockbuster video to rent a movie called Friday the 13th. Soon what began as a one-off trip became a weekly ritual. The next week saw me renting Friday the 13th Part 2 and the week after that was Part 3. This continued until I had seen every film up until Jason X with all entries seen under the pretense of a friday night with a hot pizza and a good friend in tow.

I tell you this story because In A Violent Nature is the first modern slasher film I’ve seen to remind me of that era in my life while being a top-shelf slasher in its own right in the middle of a genre renaissance.

Directed by Charlie Nash, In A Violent Nature tells the story of the return of a masked killer who rises from the grave in search of an item that will put his soul to rest. Though the premise sounds familiar to numerous Friday the 13th sequels, In A Violent Nature stands out by telling its story through the POV of the main killer and not that of the survivors (a rarity in the genre believe it or not). Though that premise sounds kind of shallow, the film takes advantage of this POV to experiment with long and uninterrupted shots along with an ambient tone that brings it closer in line to an arthouse indie film rather than the 80’s slasher films that inspired it.

That’s not to say there isn’t gore and violence because In A Violent Nature delivers spectacularly on this front. Kills range from typical slasher fare to outright outrageous displays of violence that could possibly give Terrifier 2 a run for its money. One of the most harrowing aspects of In A Violent Nature is how mean the kills feel. While most modern slasher films struggle to evoke any sort of reaction other than excitement from ravenous audience members (myself included), In A Violent Nature features some truly gut wrenching kills that felt as if I was witnessing a a genuine loss of life as of result of a lack of empathy or feeling. In a way, In A Violent Nature makes the act of seeing bodies pile up a slasher film exciting again. An act you almost feel guilty for witnessing but can’t help but notice every detail being presented.

In A Violent Nature is keen on details. Exposition bits are dropped among dialogue between characters amongst backdrops of important events and scenes. It’s almost like a trail of breadcrumbs, you never feel quite lost while watching the film but you’re never quite given the full picture. You’re encouraged to soak up the scenery and ambiance, to experience this world through the eyes of a killer that’s just as unknown in this world as you are. The beautiful cinematography and exceptional sound design helped immerse me in these concepts. In A Violent Nature takes these risks and manages to pull them off with exceptional ease.

Where In A Violent Nature fails is near the end of its story. Even with a simple premise and unique POV, the film fails to commit to it fully as a baffling story decision is made in the third act that nearly derailed the entire film for me. When you have such a strong setup such as the one presented here, I have to wonder why you pivot so hard? Is it a lack of faith in the story? Perhaps it’s to appease slasher fans who wanted more closure and/or answers? Whatever it is, it brings down the experience as a whole but thankfully is never enough to outright ruin the good that is there. 

In A Violent Nature reminds me of the rose colored glasses of films like Friday the 13th Part 2. Films that felt like high art to me at the time. Films that dominated my Friday nights wanting to see mean carnage take over my screen. In A Violent Nature captures that feeling without giving into the nostalgia factor and instead attempts to recreate those video store memories through the lens of arthouse. Though it doesn’t succeed in every single aspect (especially in that story shift near the end), I can’t help but commend it. In A Violent Nature is one of the best slasher films to come from this modern renaissance, remembering at its core what it was like to pop one of those slasher films into your VCR for the first time. Highly recommended.

Grade: A-

Oscar Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Release Date: May 31, 2024
Where to Watch: In Select Theaters