by Stef Nunez
Ok. I know what you were thinking when you first saw the trailer for In a Violent Nature.
“This looks like Saturday, the 14th – this is a Jason rip-off.”
I’m active in a lot of horror corners of the internet so I heard every version of this, but there was still nothing that could dissuade me from seeing this as soon as it was available. Luckily for me, Popcorn Frights hosted an early screening of the film on May 25, so I was able to see it and drop this little nugget for you just one week after GA.
Let’s just be so for real here for one second, folx. Slashers are kind of an overdone at this point, and I say this as someone who lists slashers firmly in her top 3 subgenres (outdone by cursed toys and cosmic horror). Just recently on the podcast, my bestie and I dove back into The Strangers (2008) and realized that either we just aren’t scared of the same things as ladies in our 30s, or this stuff just isn’t very scary. Or both.
Yes, we saw and covered The Strangers: Chapter 1. Yes, we were underwhelmed but still had a lot to discuss. All of this to say that at this point in my life I don’t ever expect to be dazzled by a slasher. My awe and amazement expectations are now reserved for Supernaturally charged movies (The First Omen absolutely nailed it for me) and A24 (Don’t think I didn’t peep the side eye for I Saw the TV Glow. I promise WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT). For everything else, I’m mildly hoping to just have a good time watching, and at minimum praying I didn’t waste money on a ticket (loljk I have Regal Unlimited).
So, was I dazzled?
The hype for this movie was palpable, almost reaching Smile level marketing. While In a Violent Nature absolutely promised to be tropey af, it also boasted a very unique POV through the killer’s eyes. That was a selling point for me because, surprise, Friday the 13th is my least favorite slasher franchise. I’m still mad about the ignorantly horny camp counselors letting a disabled child drown, so I can’t bring myself to care about who him or his mother kill. I can’t see, I’m blind *in my SZA voice*.
But maybe that wasn’t enough for the masses because shortly before release, these wild critic claims started rolling in about it being “vomit-inducing” because the kills are so gnarly. I don’t know about you, but I’m violently impressed by a good practical effect sesh these days with CGI being leaned on so heavily. As far as I know, nobody at my showing vomited, but these events are usually attended by seasoned horror fans who loudly cheer and blood & guts. What I can say with my chest is that this film lures you into a false sense of security.
As I sat in my chair, feet swinging and chomping on popcorn, I was disappointed that the first death was out of view. When our killer goes about his post-murder business, the gruesome scene is out of focus, but you can tell it’s a bloodbath. Not so bad but gets progressively more brutal and visual. There was one scene in particular that I refuse to spoil, but I’ve never seen something quite like it and the theater erupted in applause. So, was I dazzled?
Honestly, yeah, I kind of was. So much of what the characters around him, the victims, were doing was all stereotypical dumb horror movie stuff, but because of the skewed POV it was hilarious rather than annoying. In a very humanly scary way, it was frightening to think of how little situational awareness these people had with a killer in their midst and it made me hyper aware of my own surroundings. One thing I don’t think anyone anticipated was the incredible distance this guy walked. While others were in cars and on bikes, he was on foot, and he only had two speeds: slow and medium slow. But that gave us time to enjoy the scenery, like he was giving us a piggyback ride through the forest.
His backstory was really stupid, but I think it’s a play on how stupid the lore can be for a lot of these killers and even dumber how they keep coming back to life for the next sequel. Without the humor, I don’t think I would have liked this movie as much as I did, and while it was pretty gory I don’t believe at all that somebody puked watching it.
Stef Nuñez (she/they) is the Editor-In-Chief of Sage Cigarettes Magazine as well as unhinged co-host of A Ghost in the Magazine & The Annegirls Podcast. M-F 9-5 she works in the South Florida high fashion scene, but at night and on the weekends she is a feral horror mami who frequents film and music festivals. OH, and she’s a poet.
