In a Violent Nature (2024) – Review

Quick Thoughts – Grade – A  – In a Violent Nature is a thrilling horror experience that features several outstanding moments and will award viewers who appreciate the experiment. 

Directed and written by Chris Nash, In A Violent Nature is being described as an “ambient horror” movie that uses long takes, natural sounds, and the wooded settings of the Algoma District near Ontario to create a truly unique slasher experience. Drawing inspiration from Gus Van Sant’s “Death Trilogy” which is made up of Gerry (2002), Elephant (2003) and Last Days (2005), the film follows an occasionally masked killed named Johnny (Ry Barrett), who awakens from his slumber when a group of college kids steal a necklace from his burial site.

What separates In a Violent Nature from typical slasher movies is that the focus isn’t on one-note college kids (thank goodness) who do their absolute best to get sliced and diced. The focus rests squarely on the burly shoulders of Johnny, who strolls around the woods and occasionally traverses the bottom of a lake to get to his victims. Cinematographer Pierce Derks (Psycho Gorman, Mandy, The Void) must’ve logged miles following Barrett as they shot scenes involving the obliteration of a yoga enthusiast or a nighttime stroll that ends with a decapitated head being used to open a door.The best thing about the cinematography is that it never feels precious or forced. The shot selection is inspired and never afraid to linger on a soon-to-be doomed swimmer for several minutes as Johnny trudges (unseen) across the bottom of the lake to get to their position. In a lesser film the cinematography would’ve felt forced or precious, but the shot selection and 1.33:1 aspect ratio work because they make sense for the story and don’t feel like they were added because they looked cool. The night shoots must’ve pushed the camera’s gain settings to new heights as very little outside lighting sources are used, which is refreshing because it adds to the voyeuristic style that relies on naturalism.

I’m a big fan of Gus Van Sant’s “Death Trilogy,” which features death (obviously), lots of walking, and methodical camerawork that lingers with the characters as they walk through a desert or high school hallway.  I remember watching the Palme D’or winning Elephant at a cool arthouse movie theater in Tallahassee, and having the entire theater to myself as the chaos unfolded on the screen. The good news is that In a Violent Nature has its own personality and isn’t trying to recreate an experience. My biggest complaint is the handling of the college kid victims who were purposefully written as one-note characters. I get that keeping them one-dimensional left more room for Johnny, but there’s a campfire dialogue scene that is a chore to get through because the characters are wildly unlikable and their dialogue doesn’t help them much. It’s easy to understand why the victim’s personalities are an afterthought, but a little more care with their dialogue and performances would’ve helped. That being said, I completely understand why they aren’t fleshed out characters (so Johnny can have more time tearing their flesh apart). 

In a Violent Nature is the type of film that should be embraced because it’s an independent production that embraces creativity and is reaping the rewards. It most certainly won’t be for everyone, but it will find an audience amongst cinephiles who love a big swing.

Final thoughts – Watch it. It’s a great time.