After a disappointing period for the genre mired by tepid sequels, uninspired "originals" and a marked dilution of gore and scares, In A Violent Nature hopes to offer an injection of excitement into the marketplace. A slasher that positions itself out from the crowd by telling its story from the point of view of the killer, can In A Violent Nature survive a unique concept, or is it simply destined to be a first kill?
When an undead monster is inadvertently resurrected, a group of teens become the latest stalked by a serial killer intent on unleashing a reign of rage and retribution. In A Violent Nature is written and directed by Chris Nash.
An immersive horror experience that utilises the conventions of the slasher to its advantage, In A Violent Nature offers horror aficionados something different to sink their teeth into: told from the perspective of the killer, In A Violent Nature plays with its audience as the killer plays with its prey. What could have quickly become a novelty for the feature develops into something altogether stronger: an engaging exploration of the slasher sub-genres conventions, as well as a supremely entertaining and impressive experiment for a genre desperately in need of a creative rejuvenation.
When a film is running with such a novel concept, it could easily be swallowed whole by it, but the result with In A Violent Nature is that it is a very sophisticatedly made film in its own right. At times unfolding like a first-person video game, Nash's tonal working is outstanding, seeped in a throbbingly intense atmosphere that pervades from open to close: the absence of music is disquieting, a wise decision that elicits a foreboding dread and more authentic all round experience. Meanwhile, Pierce Derks cinematography is truly outstanding, easily some of the year’s best: populated with long static takes and slowly creeping camera work, Derks conjures some of the most striking imagery, possessing a clear love and understanding of the genre while demonstrating a real eye for detail.
Nash doesn't hold back on the gore either, unveiling a handful of gruesomely graphic set pieces within In A Violent Nature bound to be lapped up by genre fans, including a yoga scene that may deservedly feature on all-time slasher kills list. Perhaps some of these ideas needed (and deserve) to be taken further, including a conceptually brilliant lake sequence whose execution is somewhat lacking, arguably hindered by a small production budget, but there’s more than enough to admire and appreciate as is. In truth, it would run the risk of losing out on its potency if the wider film were to be scaled up.
If the film becomes tripped up by exposition, it's only because it remains adamant on sticking to its conceit: given that the killer is often a fair distance from his victims for a good portion of the runtime, we only uncover backstory in chunks of ADR-delivered dialogue that can often feel clunky, necessary for our narrative understanding but provided in a way that feels too expositionary.
By turning to genre conventions, In A Violent Nature manages to explore and exploit the slasher's more tiresome tropes and uncovers a macabre yet amusing angle that proves that the genre has more than enough life left in it yet. Chris Nash’s POV effort won’t be for everyone - particularly its ending, which felt to me like a stoker of genius, toying with expectation perfectly - but his impressive ability to cook with various elements of the horror genre while delivering a creative twist that evoke dread on a skin-pricking level will be undoubtedly embraced by those who have grown tired of the genre’s recent output. Indebted further to the film’s surprisingly gorgeous cinematography, In A Violent Nature is one of cinema’s most pleasantly gruesome surprises of the year.