If you’ve been binging horror movies all month, as so many people do ahead of Halloween, you may be desensitized to cinematic violence by this final stretch of October. It’s possible you’ve also grown tired of the same old tropes — the lumbering psycho killers and their teenage victims. 2024’s In A Violent Nature, one of the most original horror movies in recent years, solves both of those issues at once.
Plus, two words: human pretzel.
Written and directed by Chris Nash, In A Violent Nature is a microbudget slasher with a clever premise: It’s told from the perspective of its undead villain. Awakened by some careless teens, local urban legend Johnny (Ry Barrett) proceeds to chase and murder them across the wooded American back country. That’s pretty much the entire plot, and it rules.
Johnny never speaks, and large stretches of the movie simply track his slow movement through the forest in what feels like a mix between watching someone else play a video game and listening to ASMR. It’s weirdly relaxing.
When Johnny does encounter his victims, he kills them in the most gruesome ways possible, often using his signature weapon: a rusty metal hook attached to a large chain. At one point, he comes across a young woman doing yoga alone by a river, and uses his hook to turn her into… well, you know.
In A Violent Nature does occasionally offer some semblance of a plot and backstory, mostly through exposition spouted by various characters as Johnny prepares to murder them. None of this exposition matters much to the overall cinematic experience (I actually think we get too much lore, making the killer less scary), but it paints a picture of a killer in the same league as Jason or Michael Myers: emotionally stunted, unstoppable, and evil.
The movie’s clever conceit is enough to drive the action for roughly 90 minutes, slowly revealing more detail about Johnny while his actions grow increasingly gruesome. A Violent Nature takes a surprising left turn in its final act that may leave audiences confused, or even annoyed. But it’s still a journey worth embarking on, if only for its fresh perspective on a very well-worn genre.
Where to watch: A Violent Nature is streaming on Hulu or Disney Plus, and available to rent online from all the usual places.
Polygon’s annual Halloween Countdown is a 31-day run of short recommendations of the best horror movies, shows, TV episodes, and online specials to stream for the Halloween season. You can find the entire calendar here.