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In one of the most unconventional horror movies In a Violent Nature (2024) puts a new spin on the slasher movie staple by telling the story almost entirely from the point of view of the murderer. Originally created and directed by Chris Nash the main plot of the film occurs in the unyielding and distant territory of Northern Ontario situated in the Algoma District near Sault Ste. Marie. This location was opted for after the initial shooting in the Kawartha Lakes vicinity did not succeed in meeting the expected mood. Nash who was a native of Sault Ste. Marie , describe how important was the natural environment, stating that the wilderness is also an actor, it helps create the opaque air of the film, portraying its loneliness.

The movie initiates with a scene that show several young children on a camp, where one of them discovers a ruined watch tower in the woods. The protagonist who is a camper, in the woods they discover a golden locket and a chain around the neck, one of the camper Troy picks it up despite warnings from the other with him,t his action triggers a series of sequence of sequences that turn out horrific. A locket that was missing turns out to be owned by Johnny, a vengeful spirit buried nearby the tower who awakens when the locket is moved. Johnny, portrayed by Ry Barrett, is a hulking, undead figure driven by a singular purpose, to recover his two stolen pieces, his locket, to surprise vengeance upon those who dug up his grave.

The outline of the film’s narrative is based on the slasher stereotype, although the approach takes an original turn, centering around Johnny’s trek through the woods. The campers, such as Kris (Andrea Pavlovic), Colt (Cameron Love), and Aurora (Charlotte Creaghan), are mostly indistinguishable sharing the same bland plot roles to be attacked by Johnny who is presented as a camp fire story narrated by Ehren, and whose father was once a mean shopkeeper who valued gold and riches more than his son’s life; Johnny was harassed and killed by loggers, this is the unhappy background that the young man Johnny cannot stand anything and goes forward with a thirst for vengeance.

- IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30321146/ - Platform: Theaters - Release: May 31, 2024

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The Unique Perspective

There is one aspect to mention on what I was able to find online is that this movie is suppose to talk more about the killer’s backstory, would be a deviation from what is normally expected in slasher movies where the action is satisfactorily extracted from the victims. Telling the story from Johnny’s perspective brings a new twist to the typical sweeper horror movie framework and accentuates the system commonly used, stalking from the killer. This way the camerawork captures Johnny from behind throughout the film, making the film to feel like a chase and putting the viewers into the protagonist’s shoes.

This perspective shift effectively translates into the structure and pacing of the film, unlike many other films of the horror/thriller genre that depend strictly on the number of chase scenes and popular scares like jumps, the film develops tension gradually and naturally as the audience is most of the time next to the killer. It has also been mention that during the movie will be a lack of music to accompany the horror scenes as are the few audible sounds, those of the night and rustling of the leaves.

The Production Challenges

It was not easy shooting the movie and more specifically, it was very frustrating as most of the scenes had to be re shot, this was due to reasons such as the change in continuity and the need to ensure a proper consistency in tone, established by Nash, the re shoots include replacing the actor who was originally cast as the lead and alterations in the camera package that are suitable to accommodate the rugged environment of a shoot. It was a jungle and a war zone and the many challenges were the problems of filming in the outdoors with lights and sound that are bulky and require setting up for long shots, typical of the film.

Pierce Derks, a cinematographer also has a considerable contribution to this film as he contributed to its unique aesthetics, his strategy was aimed at capturing mostly natural colors of the forest and the night which reflects the darkness within while not using typical exaggerated color effects often seen in horror movies.

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The Cast and Characters

The cast of the film is quite strong; the leading actor Ry Barrett was cast as the protagonist named Johnny, he is very popular actor with amazing amount of experience and he usually performs active, monotonous roles in his plays. Realizing Johnny, a murderous and speechless attacker with a psychophysical thrilling performances.

Andrea Pavlovic also acts as one of the campers, Pavlovic is one of the well known personalities of Canada who has bags full of talent in the field of film and television acting. Cameron Love, who portrays himself as Colt, has worked in several television projects popular in Canada.

Some of the rest of the cast are Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, Timothy Paul McCarthy, and Lauren Marie Taylor. Even each of the actors works in the film adding their performances and the past experiences they found in the movie to the general overall impression of the movie and impact of this particular kind of horror.

The Gore and Violence

The violence on the movie is explicit and the kill tools appropriately macabre starting with the fireman’s axe and a hook blade, it has an R-rating for violence and concerns such as beheading, drowning and member removal. The point of view shift causes the kills to be less like traditional slasher fashion and more serious probably what was missing was the element of surprise which is usually incorporated into the plot through scenes of violence, the audience is presented with calculated and expected violence which is far more terrifying as it makes the viewer feel like he or she is watching a predator waiting for its prey.

It will remembered most for one superb scene in which Johnny crosses paths with Chuck, a trapper and hunter from the town. Chuck plays fatal bear traps with equal carelessness and one day, he meets his Waterloo when the fated situation becomes reverse and Johnny grabs a trap belonging to Chuck to trap him.

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The Cinematic Influences

It has been defined as an ambient slasher and one critic compared the film to the movies of Terrence Malick as well as to the ‘serial killer thriller of Gus Van Sant, it seems as one of the reasons that make the film to be different from other films of the same genre, this is due to the slow and calm pace of the picture as well as the center of attention concentration on the killer. Carefully, Nash distilled the essence of these directors, particularly the slow, deliberative style and an emphasis on the environment.

Another crucial feature of the film which identifies Jonsson’s style as similar to Van Sant and to an even greater extent, Malick is the complete absence of a musical accompaniment, this meant that managing sound design was very critical in making sure that the background noise and minimal use of dialogue is effective in maintaining the suspenseful theme without being boring.

The quality of the gore as well as violence has become both one of the strong points and controversies of the film with some viewers might agree that the creativity and powerful brutality are good to watch, while others would think and state that the excessive use of off screen kills makes the movie rather violent and disgusting at times. The quality of acting by the main performances, especially Ry Barrett as Johnny, has been mention by critics to be worthy, which adds to the pluss of the movie when it comes to the feeling of horror.

In conclusion, it would be original and provocative to describe “In a Violent Nature” as one of the most enlightening films belonging to the horror genre, which can make the audience heart explode because of the viciousness inherent in human beings and the cruel world. Depending on whether the viewer is willing to look beyond the outrageous and define the film as an attempt at ‘Savage Cinema’ or whether it has failed as such, it is undeniable that the cruelty and intelligence of the main character in the film will force audiences to think beyond the plotline, and for those who are ready to put up with the slow pace and a very early to mid 90s type of atmosphere that the game provides, “In a Violent Nature” will undoubtedly provide a memorable horror experience.

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