A gruesome and gory, In A Violent Nature is a fresh take on the slasher genre that more than lives up to its name.

In A Violent Nature Review

In the slasher genre, it can be hard to shock or even surprise the most avid fans. But writer-director Chris Nash’s first feature aims to do just that and for the most part succeeds. What at first glance seemed like a cousin to Friday the 13th, In A Violent Nature creates its own bloody path through the Ontario wilderness. Nash accomplishes this by approaching the genre with a less is more attitude. From the lack of a musical score to the deliberate pacing of the action conveys a mindset of minimalism. What gives this film a fresh feeling is his choice of camera angles. Instead of seeing the antagonist coming, Nash emulates directors Terrence Malick and Gus Van Sant by tracking him from behind. Aside from the ending and a few rare moments spent with the victims, we remain solely with the monster. This POV gives audiences a front row seat to the killer's sensory experience as he tracks his prey through the forest.

When a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny (Ry Barrett), a vengeful spirit spurred on by a horrific 60-year old crime, his body is resurrected and becomes hellbent on retrieving it. The undead golem hones in on the group of vacationing teens responsible for the theft and proceeds to methodically slaughter them one by one in his mission to get it back – along with anyone in his way.

In A Violent Nature lives up to its name. This unrated gore-fest delivers on its promise although aside from one extended and jaw-dropping kill (you'll know it when you see it), the rest are just variations on those we've seen in the last several decades. But it's not an overly clichéd piece thanks to the perspective. It's a little Blair Witch Project in the way the camera follows Johnny through the forest, almost as if some scared documentarian is trying to capture everything. I half expected him to turn and slaughter the cameraman by the end…maybe next time.

Although this method can be a little tedious at times, as you watch him slowly lumber his way to his next victim. You are anxious for him to just get to it. However, despite feeling a bit frustrated at how slow Johnny moved I realized what effect it had on my viewing experience when he wasn't on camera. The genius of Nash's POV choice comes when Johnny isn't the focal point. When Johnny is off camera you can't help but look around, listening, and wondering where he was going to be. It's an unnerving feeling knowing that must just be right out of line of sight.

Verdict

It may seem a little Blair Witch Project, a little I Know What You Did Last Summer, and a healthy dose of Friday the 13th but In A Violent Nature bloodies the screen to make its own path. Twisting the overall perspective is what makes this film as intriguing as it is. It never gets into too much detail about Johnny, other than his backstory. Is he immortal? Can he be stopped by not touching his stuff? The answer to both is maybe. But this tracks with the less is more approach to the film. By leaving these blanks, it allows our imaginations to wander and add to the lore, making it our own. Johnny might not end up spawning a franchise like his cousin Jason but he certainly is set to make a name for himself.