In A Violent Nature, What Did You Think Was Going To Happen?

The 2024 horror release, In A Violent Nature, is one of those films you will either love or hate. The cinema is probably the best place to appreciate a film like this and it was in Australian cinemas exclusively August 1-4, 2024.

Spawned under adjacent classic slasher theming, aesthetic, dynamic, and lore of similar and better known iconic villains like, Jason Vorhees, the film features a not-quite-human bald man with nothing better to do than to come back from the dead to kill everyone connected to a locket.

The director’s statement alludes to various inspirations from other filmmakers like Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) and Psycho’s Gus Van Sant in how the title got put together along with a long-standing love for horror.

Director Chris Nash will make you feel like you’re watching something you’ve already seen and that’s just the way he wanted it. Even more exciting is that the aim was not only to have the audience cast their minds back to great slashers like Friday the 13th but that “In a Violent Nature” extends past the stereotypical ending and taps a toe into making this film a bit special.

“Animals don’t get too hung up on reason, they just keep killing.”

Quote from the slasher movie, In a Violent Nature

What to Expect When Watching In A Violent Nature 2024

This is a horror movie gore hounds will drool over, that is if they get that far. In a Violent Nature is not an easy viewing experience. Cinematography will be irritating to some. I found it worse than trying to watch a found footage movie that went for the shaky cam experience. The title employs many circular visions and a disconcerting off-center sound effect with conversations happening off-screen because this movie is about the killer.

The rest of the cast is almost at odds with everything else contained within the barely there narrative. Like a robotic windup toy, Johnny (Ry Barrett, The Heretics) gets to show you his vision. The dialogue featured in snippets is terrible. With no soundtrack or musical aesthetic to speak of, those who come for the enticing slasher film might leave disappointed with the sacrifice.

Brutal Effects

Instead of casting my mind back to slashers of yore, I was often left thinking about how bad my navigational skills are in first-person video games. Johnny does a lot of walking and while some might feel the tension of such a close and dangerous threat lurking about, I was wishing I had enough stamina to make him start running. However, those who were waiting for the high-intensity kill scenes will be happy they patiently waited.

Ingenuity, creativity, and all the verbs you can think of, sum up how In a Violent Nature moves through its vomit-inducing plunderings. Johnny doesn’t just kill, he pulverizes every player in the game. Each slashing of irrelevant meat puppet more revolting than the next.

One last thing this film does is include imagery that I found amusing. Between violently astringent murders is an oddly infused comedic element. Whether this was intentional, I can’t be sure. Certain shots of Johnny in his mask reminded me of a weird horror version of a minion. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

This is a film for movie fans who love brutal graphic violence that is delivered for no reason at all. For the rest of you, it’s a one-time watch at best.

The In a Violent Nature film is rated

3 fish hooks are for fishing out of 5

Writer / Director: Chris Nash

Starring: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, Lauren Taylor

Where to Watch In A Violent Nature

From 1-4th August 2024 in theatres in Australia by Umbrella Entertainment.

IFC Films’ theatrical release for the bare-bones slasher came out in the USA on the 31st of May and it’s now streaming on AMC+.

For more ways to watch this movie and others, go to Justwatch.com.

Distributed by IFC Films and Shudder. This title was viewed as a screener.

Produced by Shudder, Low Sky Productions, and Zygote Pictures.

For another movie with a relentless killer, watch the Slasher TV series next.

“What if Jason emerges from the ground instead of the water this time?”
“We cant Copy Jason”
“Mason?”

Theory behind the pitch for In a Violent Nature 2024