The Horror Slasher Changing The Entire Genre

If you’ve ever wondered how a Friday the 13th movie would play out from Jason’s perspective, In a Violent Nature is the film for you. For everyone else, get ready for Walking Simulator: The Movie. I kid, of course. The scenes of Johnny mosying through the forest are beautifully shot and make for a sort of slasher ASMR in between acts of extreme violence. I enjoyed them, but I understand why some viewers find the film boring.

I’m less accepting of the one and two-star reviews, where the main complaint is that In a Violent Nature rips off Friday the 13th. That’s like saying Homelander is a ripoff of Superman. Did everyone else not take the same community college film course where they explained the concept of homage? No, just me?

Again, I kid, but it is irksome to see someone misunderstand the very conceit of the film. In a Violent Nature is a Friday the 13th film in everything but name. All of the similarities and tropes are there on purpose. I’m confident that if writer and director Chris Nash were permitted to film the same story using Jason Voorhees, he would have.

In a Violent Nature doesn’t expand upon the slasher genre by breaking all the rules. The movie’s genius is in its ability to give fans a familiar story from a new perspective.

We’ve seen similar genre deconstruction with movies such as Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. But where Behind the Mask has a bit of a meta feel, ala Scream, Nature plays it completely straight.

The plot—what there is of one—is simple. A group of friends camping in the woods stumble upon a golden locket hanging from the remains of a shack in the woods. One of them pockets the necklace, causing undead killer Johnny to rise from his grave, hellbent on retrieving it.

Everything about Johhny is meant to evoke his Crystal Lake counterpart. Like Jason, Johnny was a developmentally challenged child whose death was an accident. Instead of holding on to his dead mother’s sweater, it’s his mother’s locket. The movie even hints that, like Jason, Johnny has risen several times over the years, with the events of In a Violent Nature representing only his latest slaughter.

In a Violent Nature, it has such reverence for the source material that when the movie does go in its own direction, it stands out. While the movie’s most obvious hot take is its third-person behind-the-killer perspective, it’s not the only trick Nash has up his sleeve. The film has been described as an “ambient slasher” due to its lack of music.

Instead, the film gives Johnny a natural soundtrack full of forest sounds. As he stomps through the leaves and brush, a cacophony of bird chirps and insect buzzes punctuate his footsteps. To say this movie was going for a particular mood and tone is an understatement.

Perhaps the movie’s biggest deviation from its slasher ancestors is its final girl, Kris. Rather than a knockdown, drag-out final battle between her and Johnny, we get…PTSD? You might find In a Violent Nature‘s final moments frustrating if you hate vague endings.

REVIEW SCORE

In a Violent Nature was released in theaters on May 31, 2024, and digitally the following month. It’s scheduled to hit Shudder sometime later this year. If you’re a slasher fan I highly recommend hopping on Amazon Prime Video or the digital platform of your choice and giving this one a rent.