Despite the slasher sub-genre being filled to the brim with iconic killers and franchises, there’s always room to see it grow and for new perspectives to emerge. Over the years, we’ve seen plenty of comedic parodies that break down the slasher formula as well as nostalgic odes to classic styles and stories. But still, there’s a desperate craving within horror fans for something truly original to arise. Thankfully, writer/director Chris Nash delivers a fresh offering with his new film, In a Violent Nature, through his dedicated vision and brand of blood-soaked slashing.

Now, it’s worth noting that In a Violent Nature isn’t some earth-shattering entry to the genre that’s completely new. At its core, it’s the classic scenario of a group of friends having their weekend in the woods ruined by the arrival of a fearsome serial killer. The film’s central threat – a dual-hook/hatchet wielding slaughterer named Johnny (Ry Barrett) – is also heavily reminiscent of Jason Voorhees. Not only does he have a similar type of mistreated outcast backstory, but he’s even got a motherly bond that influences his vicious rage. Hell, Johnny’s undead nature and style of walking even elicits vibes of Jason (post-Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter). So, there’s definitely a noticeable familiarity to In a Violent Nature, but Nash’s approach is what makes the film feel very unique. 

Instead of simply following this friend group as Johnny picks them off one by one, Nash pretty much shows everything from Johnny’s perspective. Once viewers watch Johnny rise from his grave, they’re tied to his hip and essentially become helpless accomplices in his murderous endeavors. It’s honestly hard to remember a time where fans really got to be alongside the killer like this and Nash spares no expense in deeply immersing viewers into this experience. 

Every scene where the camera focuses on Johnny’s back as he walks at a slow yet daunting pace shows so much engaging craftsmanship. First of all, the use of more ambient nature sounds over a traditional horror score allows for the thud of Johnny’s footsteps to carry real weight. You feel all the slow-building anger and determination in each of his steps and it builds up the tension excellently in quieter moments. Not to mention, cinematographer Pierce Derks perfectly produces this stark visual contrast. The warm wood setting clashes against Johnny’s dark demeanor incredibly well to create this striking imagery and lingering uneasiness throughout. Also, it just looks cool seeing Johnny trek through the woods and instantly gives the film a distinct identity. 

With this compelling suspense and visual draw established, Nash further invests viewers into the experience by using this perspective for unique storytelling angles. By having viewers (and Johnny) hear conversations between characters play out as they approach, Nash creates some multi-layered storytelling that’s very engaging. From elements of Johnny’s backstory being discussed to this friend group ragging on each other like typical horror movie characters do, Nash basically tells a classic slasher plot from the killer’s perspective – which is a lot of fun for longtime horror fans. There’s nothing more satisfying than feeling what it’s like to be a slasher through Johnny, especially as he stalks his prey, and it helps the story pace out nicely. Also, this immersion seeps into the kills greatly and elevates the horror of being so up close and personal with Johnny.

As Johnny clearly goes in for the kill, you can feel this lump in your throat building because you feel so close to the action. Then, when Johnny goes to work, you feel like the blood is going on your hands too – creating a chilling viewing experience that ramps up due to the brutal nature of Johnny’s rage. Nash definitely isn’t afraid to get gory and lets a lot of blood spill throughout the film. Johnny’s creativity with his kills is wild to see and there’s one kill on a cliff that’ll especially get a reaction from the crowd. Seriously, the effects are perfectly creepy and the entire sequence is jaw-droppingly visceral. Fans probably won’t see a kill this scarring until the next Terrifier film arrives – which says a lot.  It’s also worth noting that Nash excellently characterizes Johnny throughout – developing a connection between him and viewers through small drips of his personality and a really awesome old firefighter mask. 

Nash makes a distinct mark on an already historic and influential sub-genre with In a Violent Nature and shows some impressive creativity and storytelling skills. Unfortunately, his hard work is nearly undermined by the film’s lesser parts. While Johnny is an absolute blast and a legitimately rich character, the same can’t be said for the people he’s hunting. Aside from a good scene of one of them telling everyone about Johnny’s story, this group is mostly unbearable. Their personalities are nothing but unremarkable snark and the dialogue writing is painfully under-cooked. Every time the film focuses on characters outside of Johnny, you either find yourself hoping to cut away from them entirely or for Johnny to cut them up so they’re out of the film. These characters don’t even come with any interesting story bits either, so they’re incredibly one-dimensional and boring.

The pacing can also be needlessly slow and Nash tries to milk certain moments to exhausting extents. While the film’s slowness matches the pace of its central killer, it can turn the experience into a drag. There’s one kill, in particular, where Johnny really elongates the process on purpose, but it goes on forever and ultimately makes the death unsatisfying. The biggest issue with In a Violent Nature though is the direction it takes in its final stretch. Rather than cap off the film with an awesomely bloody bout between Johnny and the film’s final girl, it takes a detour into an undesired direction. It offers no real resolution for Johnny and instead tries to dive into this philosophical view of killers and rage that doesn’t really work. It nukes the pacing by going on for too long and doesn’t feel like a cohesive part of the experience viewers went through with Johnny.  

Nash doesn’t exactly nail every element of In a Violent Nature and often struggles when the killer isn’t in the spotlight, but he makes the film a required viewing for horror fans. His craftsmanship with this killer and perspective are watch-worthy on their own and form the makings of a memorable crowd-pleaser – with some memorable slashing to boot.

Watch the Trailer Here: