Do you like the Friday the 13th kind of movie? The character in that kind is always scary to the killer, and we always can only use the victim’s angle to watch the movie, feeling their scared emotions while they are being chased and hiding. But what if I tell you that a movie in 2024 lets you actually watch this genre from the killer’s angle? This time, you are not the person who is always surrounded by worries. Most importantly, this movie is actually produced in Canada. So, what is it?
Chris Nash’s In a Violent Nature takes the classic slasher story and tells it in a totally new way. Instead of being scared of the killer, we actually follow him around as he goes about his “work.” The killer, named Johnny, is a silent, scary-looking guy who gets brought back to life when someone messes with a special locket in the woods. Once he wakes up, he starts hunting down the unlucky campers who took it.
The movie is different because it focuses on Johnny, not the people trying to escape him. The camera sticks with him as he trudges through the forest, almost like a video game where you’re following the bad guy. It’s quiet and creepy, but not scary in the usual way. You know exactly where Johnny is and when he’ll strike, which makes it more interesting than jump scares.
When Johnny catches up to his victims, things get gory. The kills are creative and over-the-top, using tools like axes and even a log splitter in the worst ways you can imagine. There’s also some dark humor, like when typical horror movie moments—flirting by the pool or fighting in a cabin—are abruptly interrupted by Johnny’s brutal attacks.
The movie hints at Johnny’s backstory. He seems to be taking revenge for something awful that happened to him in a logging town, but the details are kept mysterious. A park ranger even suggests this isn’t Johnny’s first time causing chaos, adding to his legend.
The one weak spot is the ending. The focus shifts to the last survivor, but since we don’t know much about her, it’s hard to care. By that point, Johnny is the real star of the story, and we just want to see more of him.
Overall, In a Violent Nature is a fresh take on horror, mixing creepy calm moments with shocking violence. It’s a unique slasher movie that makes Johnny more than just a monster-he’s the main event.