In A Violent Nature

Screened at Regal Cinemas 9, Palm Springs, California.

I saw this on opening day and though I had a LOT of thoughts going through my deep, complex, thinking mind, I felt I needed to properly digest it before getting those thoughts down. Overall my opinion and impressions haven't really changed the past couple weeks, and I'm happy to say slasher fans should really enjoy this. This is by and for slasher fans, and every strain of that passion for the genre is put right on screen, with new perspectives and some artsy touches that brought so much to the table that I just had to admire it in that sense. For some though, including those who say they're tired of reboots and sequelitis, will somehow not appreciate this, which I've seen in the horror community and found rather baffling. Even if one doesn't take to this, it does two things at once here that I feel should be celebrated. It embraces its inspiration, and pays a quiet tribute to it. And it looks forward. Some won't admit they don't actually like that, while begging for it, and I just hope they can come to that realization before throwing shade towards this. It's not perfect, there's issues. But it clearly comes from the heart of someone who really gets it, and I celebrate and appreciate that, especially coming from outside the world of corporate Hollywood.

STRENGTHS

-Clever, over-the-top kills with fantastic practical effects.

-No film score, which is very bold for a slasher. I didn't notice the lack of one until late in the game. One isn't needed, that's not what this film is.

-Shot and told from the killer's POV. You can almost see, at least as a long-time supporter of the slasher arts, the other side of the story playing out off screen as you progress through this story. So, instead of the viewer watching camp counselors with a killer dipping in from time to time, we're instead seeing the killer, with the counselors dipping in from time to time. This film is not made for casual film-goers. This is for horror fans, and more specifically, slasher fans.

-The sound design really pulls you into the environment with all the sounds of nature you'd expect in a forest setting. It's such a huge and important element that I feel so much is going to be lost for those who don't see it in the cinemas, or at least have a good sound system at home. Not on your fucking phone, and not through the tinny speakers on the back of your cool-ass flatscreen. Similar to the recent film The Zone of Interest, the sound design is not its own character and it doesn't overpower in any way. It simply brings you into the scene and into the situation, essential for creating a visceral experience.

WEAKNESSES

-The 4:3 aspect ratio was a poor choice. Likely the filmmakers thought maybe some will see this on their old 13" CRT sets, lending to any nostalgic feel implied by this "reimagining" of old school slashers but how many people is that going to be? Wasting all that screen space feels criminal, especially for a film shot as beautifully as this.

-I know a lot of people seem to dig that mask, but I'm not feeling it. I appreciate it, and I like how it does have a backstory, but it just takes me out of the film overall just a bit.