It is a patient horror film that is almost a nature documentary
In a Violent Nature – Official Trailer | HD | IFC movies
This review of In a Violent Nature was originally published to coincide with the film's premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. It has been updated for the film's theatrical release.
In a Violent Nature follows Johnny, a giant creature who has been dead for years, as he seeks revenge on the latest group of teenagers to bring him back to life.
The way In a Violent Nature reveals its plot is a big part of the fun of the film, so no spoilers here. Instead, it's worth talking a little about the mood of the film, which is mostly pastoral, rather than bombastic and fast-paced. Writer-director Chris Nash seems to be taking inspiration from Michael Myers' slow but deliberate stalking in the Halloween film series. Long stretches of In a Violent Nature are still, quiet, gorgeous images of nature – sometimes with a killer scurrying through them, sometimes not.
