In a Violent Nature (2024) Review – A Bold And Gory Slasher Reimagining

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing Shudder Original slasher movie In a Violent Nature from 2024.

Before we take a look at the movie, if you have already watched In a Violent Nature and are looking for some more clarity on what happened and who the characters were, why not check out our In a Violent Nature Ending Explained article? Be warned, it contains spoilers, unlike this review. 

A different kind of slasher

In a Violent Nature is a fairly simple movie. It follows undead killer Johnny (Ry Barrett) as he goes on a rampage to recover a locket that was taken from his resting site. An unsuspecting group of campers fall into possession of the locket and find themselves in a fight for survival.

The best way to think of this movie is as a retro 80s slasher movie, complete with hideously disfigured psycho killer, campers partying and sharing scary stories around a fire, and brutal kills galore. But told from the perspective of the killer rather than the victims. 

It’s a super interesting take on a very old-fashioned formula. We are so used to seeing these types of movies through the eyes of the victims, with the camera almost playing a part in the partying and debauchery. We only ever see fleeting glimpses of the killers and it is only when the story absolutely demands it. In a Violent Nature is the complete opposite.

A new horror perspective

This is a totally different way of looking at the slasher genre. Instead of fleeting glimpses of the killer, it is the victims themselves that we only catch fleeting glimpses of. Everything is seen from the killer’s perspective. If a conversation between characters happens, we only hear it because our killer is within spitting distance of the participants. It’s such an obvious approach to slashers but it feels so fresh and unique.

“Everything is seen from the killer’s perspective. It’s such an obvious approach to slashers but it feels so fresh and unique.”

Instead of being subjected to all of the annoying interactions between characters that you would expect in a movie like this, we only catch mostly irrelevant bits of inane chatter. Nothing is all that important and none of it matters all that much. we are only here to watch Johnny ruthlessly butcher people.

We almost never leave his side and, for the most part, we follow right behind him for each and every step of his rampage. Director Chris Nash clearly had a desire to turn the slasher movie on its head. Nash plays with genre tropes the way Johnny plays with his victims. It’s a fascinating approach.

Turning tropes upside down

So many of the silly little occurrences that are so common in slasher movies are explained away here or turned on their head. How does the killer always know what to expect? In a Violent Nature explains it. Why does the killer do what he does? In a Violent Nature tells you why. Sure, many of these explanations and reasons don’t make a whole lot of sense. But it is fun to see how Nash takes these worn-out tropes and turns them upside down.

“This is a love letter to 80s slashers. It is as much a tribute to the slasher as it is a restructuring of it.”

Hell, the closing stanza of the movie, complete with cameo from Friday the 13th Part 2‘s Lauren Taylor, even offers an explanation for the animalistic nature of slasher villains. It’s fun stuff and Nash has a great time constantly poking the genre trope bear. It’s all in good fun, though. He manages to do this without ever showing any form of disrespect to the genre.

This is a love letter to 80s slashers. Sure, it might have a witty comment reminding the genre of its thinning hair, laugh lines and crow’s feet jotted down in there somewhere. But it is as much a tribute to the slasher as it is a restructuring of it. In a Violent Nature feels like the freshest take on the genre in a very long time. 

A few inherent issues

Naturally, the format itself is going to come with a few problems. Problems which actually make the movie tough to rate. I enjoyed In a Violent Nature enough to slap it with a 4/5 and be done with it. But that’s not really the truth of the matter. There are some inherent issues with this format that will put a lot of people off.

The most glaring of which is the fact that we are following an emotionless killer hell-bent on murder. What does said killer spend the majority of their time doing? Finding victims, of course. We spend a good 30 minutes, or so, of In a Violent Nature simply following Johnny as he slowly stomps over grassland looking for victims. It’s slow stuff and absolutely destined to put a lot of people off.

People’s attention spans, nowadays, are thinner than ever. In a world of TikTok style instant gratification, asking young people to follow along with a meandering, voiceless, killer is a big ask. Especially for 90+ minutes. Some people are going to be bored to tears and the cool kills and tiny bit of story are not going to be enough to make up for that. Something which is worth considering if you are thinking of watching In a Violent Nature.

Technically impressive

I can’t end this review without mentioning the fantastic camera work and direction. This movie is a joy to behold. Filmed in a 4:3 aspect ratio for that “true to the genre” 80s look, Nash indulges in long, drawn-out, single-take shots, pulling the viewer along as a walking companion with Johnny as he goes on his rampage. It’s fantastic stuff and way more compelling than anything like this should be.

“Practical effects are some of the best I have seen in a while. Kills are brutal, uncomfortable and wildly original.”

Pierce Derks’ cinematography is excellent, keeping a steady focus on our killer while managing to seamlessly capture the verticality of the woods and surrounding scenery. Daylight shots are particularly whimsical with the sun permitted to do its work with regards to the lighting; adding a dreamlike haze to every scene. This is a gorgeous movie and there was barely a foot set wrong with the presentation.

Practical effects are some of the best I have seen in a while. Kills are brutal, uncomfortable and wildly original in a genre that is absolutely done to death. Some of the most grizzly and barbaric I have ever seen. One kill, in particular, is horrifying in a way that really hasn’t been done before in the slasher genre. Amazing stuff; the blood and guts don’t stop coming. Something that is rather a surprise given the movie’s initial off-screen deaths. 

Acting is probably the weakest point in the movie. Lea Sebastianis, as Brodie, immediately comes to mind for the strange, drawn-out, inflection she uses at the end of every sentence. She isn’t terrible but her delivery is distracting. Sam Roulston’s, as Ehren, nasally delivery also stood out for being particularly difficult to understand. I didn’t catch 90% of his campfire story. It’s a bit of a mixed bag.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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