In A Violent Nature has enough gore and suspense to keep horror fans happy, however due to its slow pacing it drags quite a bit.
A successful horror film should be scary, deliver brutal kills, and serve up a villain that will terrify those watching. In A Violent Nature does all of those, however it also suffers from extremely slow pacing, a bizarre ending, and an attempt to be too artsy.
Following the removal of his mother’s locket from his place of rest, the soul and undead body of the victim of a horrific crime goes on a killing spree, focusing on a group of teenagers who are vacationing in the woods where he was murdered.
Intriguing Lore
The story behind Johnny is probably the most interesting part of In A Violent Nature. When his story is told around the campfire towards the beginning of the film, viewers cannot help but feel bad for him. He is doing horrific and terrible things, but there is a reason his soul is restless.
The lore here is captivating. It is intriguing and is what will keep the audience in their seats as they power through the slow pacing.
Lots Of Gore
A horror movie is often only as good as its kills — and the kills in this film are especially brutal. There were rumors that at a festival screening of In A Violent Nature, viewers passed out and threw up during a murder scene. While they did not even remotely have that effect on me, as the practicality of the kills is obvious, they are still pretty intense.
Practical effects are always appreciated when they can be pulled off, and are usually the only choice for an Indie film depending on budget. The majority of the gore in this film looks fake, but that doesn’t make it any less gut-wrenching.
Slow Pacing
The biggest issue with In A Violent Nature is how slow it is. Quite literally. The majority of the film is spent with a camera behind Johnny’s back as he slowly walks around, stalking his prey. It is only when he finally encounters someone that things pick up. The kills make the waiting around worth it, but there is a lot of just that — waiting around.
Even in the end, the pace dips to a slow crawl. For fear of spoilers we will not dive into it, but the final ten to fifteen minutes of In A Violent Nature is spent in a car with someone talking. Now, the story being told ties into what has happened, but it still feels far too slow for an ending of a horror film.
Overall Thoughts
In A Violent Nature delivers some intriguing lore, but ultimately is just a fine movie. The kills are burtal and unforgettable, but the rest of the film unfortunately is. If you are looking for a moive that you have to watch from behind your fingers during certain scenes, and you don’t mind a slow pace, this one is for you. But if you are looking for a high octane, heart pounding, horror, maybe skip this one.
NEXT: The Strangers: Chapter 1 Review: An Intense Thriller
About In A Violent Nature
When a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, 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.
IFC Films Will Release In A Violent Nature Exclusively In Theaters May 31st.
In A Violent Nature has enough gore and suspense to keep horror fans happy, however due to its slow pacing it drags quite a bit.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.