In the opening sequence of Chris Nash’s brutal feature directorial debut, In a Violent Nature, the camera focuses in and out of a shed in the middle of the woods. In the background, three guys are gazing upon a gold necklace wondering about its origins. As the camera pans out, a figure emerges from his grave and immediately heads to where the necklace once hovered. His name is Johnny, and he’s on a mission to recover it… by any means necessary.

As the story unravels, we come to understand that this resurrected figure must have a tragic backstory. He has open sores and wounds on his body that are draining blood. And he endlessly traverses the tree-filled forest looking for his next victim. Whatever his backstory, it appears he has some unfinished business to handle.

A new style to the slasher genre

For the longest time, slasher films have maintained their formula and tropes to keep fans of the genre coming back for more. But the appealing part to In a Violent Nature comes from the fact that this is a story from the killer’s vantage point. While an interesting method for a slasher, especially considering Johnny doesn’t utter a single word, there are missed opportunities. For one, Nash settles for standard horror tropes anyway, despite offering a new style. As an example, none of these characters have any situational awareness. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that they are downright stupid.

Chris Nash demonstrates a promising start to his directing career.

If you can look past the idiotic characters, there are plenty of fun elements to the film. Thanks to a killer who doesn’t speak, Nash smartly uses his supporting characters to clue audiences in on Johnny’s backstory. In one sequence, a group of friends begin to share urban legends by a campfire. I won’t dare spoil it for you, but just know that it’s the most basic story one can imagine. But no one really goes to see horror films for the story, do they (/s)?

In a Violent Nature takes its time with gory kills.

Despite these minor annoyances, you’re in for a treat with In a Violent Nature. These are some of the goriest kill sequences I have ever seen. And they aren’t just gory. The kills are extremely violent, so much so that my theater erupted in anguish and complete disbelief. Think of the 2016 Halloween hit, Terrifier but with 10 times the bloodlust. If anything, the film has certainly earned its title. A downside to the strong focus on gore is that the filmmakers forgot to add a hint of realism to them. You could easily spot out a dummy and/or artificial limbs from a mile away. However, this minor hiccup never prevented me from squirming in my seat.

Though it’s not the best slasher ever made, In a Violent Nature is a creative and fun entry to the genre. With great cinematography and shots to complement the blood bath to come, Chris Nash demonstrates a promising start to his directing career. Tonally, I’m not sure what Nash was aiming for as some sequences came off more comical than scary. Also, the unconfident ending leaves much to be desired. However, for a first pass, I’m willing to look past some of these setbacks as it was entertaining in the end.

In a Violent Nature premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The film will be available to stream on Shudder later this year.