At the end of the 70s and much of the 80s, the slasher subgenre had its greatest splendor. In a Violent Nature (2024) looks with a certain air of nostalgia at those horror films that became pillars of the genre, that inspired franchises, and that have even become cult objects. Specifically, I am referring to films of the subgenre that usually have a murderer attacking a group of young people and eliminating them one by one using some sharp object. Hence the use of the word slash to refer to this type of film.

I’m sure that Chris Nash, who directs and writes In a Violent Nature, must be greatly influenced by films like Friday the 13th, Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and My Bloody Valentine, just to name a few of the references that are impossible to identify. ignore his first work in this. His approach to the genre is truly novel and we can even say that he deconstructs the narrative style. Pause, expectation, and contemplation dominate over sporadic scares or the use of loud music to corner the audience. In a Violent Nature becomes an exercise in voyeurism where the magnificent photography makes us accompany this monster that besieges a group of young people in a remote place.

The Slasher Deconstructed

Nash’s script is the weak link in the chain. The film has very high moments in the evolution of the story, but we also encounter very low segments that make the development irregular. Only the excellent work of Pierce Derks behind the camera and a series of long shots makes us accept that the script is not up to par with what the film offers in the audiovisual field. The idea under which In a Violent Nature is conceived is very interesting, but it can be challenging for lovers of this subgenre. The classic elements are there, but the way they are staged is not conventional. In most cases, this works very well, but sometimes it breaks with the narrative rhythm.

In a Violent Nature ventures down a well-trodden path, it finds its own place in a difficult subgenre, giving away some memorable sequences and some very ingenious deaths, but it leaves us with the feeling that it had much more potential. Surely Chris Nash is not going to win the favor of the most purist fans, but he will find followers among those who applaud the daring to create something new.