- Joined
- May 4, 2022
I finally saw In a Violent Nature, and it was pretty good. It didn't try and subvert expectations or deconstruct the genre, it's just a slasher/CITW shown (mostly) from the killer's perspective. And it's not even really a gimmick, since it's more his story than his victims. 1t does have a bit of contrivance, like he stands around watching if people are talking about him, but it's not too noticeable (I mean you DO want to hear the backstory about him and all). The kills are pretty good in general, and there's enough characterization of his victims that they aren't just blood sacks that he happens into.
It's really close to being a GREAT movie. It really just lacks some edge or viciousness. While the kills are good and several are pretty gory, they just lack some oomph and edge (although the ranger's death is good, if a bit convoluted). That and the switch to the final girl's perspective at the end. First, she's too bland to be the final girl - I know the gimmick of the movie kind of prevents having someone we know, but she's literally the blandest and blankest of all the characters. Not sure if it's the actress or just the way it is set up, but she is lacking, and I felt no real empathy for her. And second, they kind of whiffed on a chance to have the woman that picks her up have an actual interesting story. She's just adjacent to the killer, when she could've been SO much more. I kept expecting it, and when it didn't pay off it was such a let down.
That being said, it's still a really good movie, I just wish it'd crossed that line into greatness, because we haven't had a truly great one in a while. I'd put this on par with Terrifier 2, in that it comes so damn close, and that closeness almost makes me more disappointed than if it'd just been bad. It just takes it from something I'd watch many times to something I'm fine having just enjoyed once.
Also there's some goofy kind of "plot holes," but they can all be pretty much forgiven, just because of the genre. I don't really care about them, they just puzzled me while I was watching it.
Stuff like the timeline; the killer was supposedly like a youngish teen when he got killed, but now he's a full grown man, was he still 'aging' while dead or is the story wrong? The locket he follows, is there some sort of mystic pull from it? If there is, why does he go to the false amulet first, and if there's not, how the fuck does he find it in the entirety of the Ontario woods. I mean he does kill everyone he comes across, and I guess they could be the only people up there, but he only checks the pocket of the guy that has it. Also if the ranger guy knows the locket is keeping him in the ground, why does he just hang it on a stick. Surely burying it on top of him or occluding it in SOME kind of way would be better. I mean he KNOWS that locals and visitors are drawn to that very spot since there's a legendary fire tower there.
Also, there's some real Canadianisms in this - lesbians swimming and horny campers camping, but no titties. I mean come on. And of course the ranger went to the John Wick Villain school of gun use.
Some people may complain about the 'walking' scenes, following the killer, but they didn't bother me at all. They weren't overly drawn out, and they had a pretty good rhythm and some variation to them (it was interesting to see him circle around and wait for stuff, just from a kind of logistical perspective).
It seems like I'm complaining more than praising this, but that's just because it's so close to being really, really good. Anyway, it's getting a sequel, so we'll see what happens.
Good kills, an interesting gimmick, no faggoty bullshit (other than genre-established tropes, like of course the 'redneck' guy is going to be a poacher) (they didn't even turn the final girl into a girlboss, she escapes solely because her BF (somewhat) sacrifices himself for her, not because she slay queens). Well paced and interesting. I'm deducting half a point each because they didn't stick the landing at the end and because there's no titties in it. 4/5 stars, go watch it.
It's really close to being a GREAT movie. It really just lacks some edge or viciousness. While the kills are good and several are pretty gory, they just lack some oomph and edge (although the ranger's death is good, if a bit convoluted). That and the switch to the final girl's perspective at the end. First, she's too bland to be the final girl - I know the gimmick of the movie kind of prevents having someone we know, but she's literally the blandest and blankest of all the characters. Not sure if it's the actress or just the way it is set up, but she is lacking, and I felt no real empathy for her. And second, they kind of whiffed on a chance to have the woman that picks her up have an actual interesting story. She's just adjacent to the killer, when she could've been SO much more. I kept expecting it, and when it didn't pay off it was such a let down.
That being said, it's still a really good movie, I just wish it'd crossed that line into greatness, because we haven't had a truly great one in a while. I'd put this on par with Terrifier 2, in that it comes so damn close, and that closeness almost makes me more disappointed than if it'd just been bad. It just takes it from something I'd watch many times to something I'm fine having just enjoyed once.
Also there's some goofy kind of "plot holes," but they can all be pretty much forgiven, just because of the genre. I don't really care about them, they just puzzled me while I was watching it.
Stuff like the timeline; the killer was supposedly like a youngish teen when he got killed, but now he's a full grown man, was he still 'aging' while dead or is the story wrong? The locket he follows, is there some sort of mystic pull from it? If there is, why does he go to the false amulet first, and if there's not, how the fuck does he find it in the entirety of the Ontario woods. I mean he does kill everyone he comes across, and I guess they could be the only people up there, but he only checks the pocket of the guy that has it. Also if the ranger guy knows the locket is keeping him in the ground, why does he just hang it on a stick. Surely burying it on top of him or occluding it in SOME kind of way would be better. I mean he KNOWS that locals and visitors are drawn to that very spot since there's a legendary fire tower there.
Also, there's some real Canadianisms in this - lesbians swimming and horny campers camping, but no titties. I mean come on. And of course the ranger went to the John Wick Villain school of gun use.
Some people may complain about the 'walking' scenes, following the killer, but they didn't bother me at all. They weren't overly drawn out, and they had a pretty good rhythm and some variation to them (it was interesting to see him circle around and wait for stuff, just from a kind of logistical perspective).
It seems like I'm complaining more than praising this, but that's just because it's so close to being really, really good. Anyway, it's getting a sequel, so we'll see what happens.
Good kills, an interesting gimmick, no faggoty bullshit (other than genre-established tropes, like of course the 'redneck' guy is going to be a poacher) (they didn't even turn the final girl into a girlboss, she escapes solely because her BF (somewhat) sacrifices himself for her, not because she slay queens). Well paced and interesting. I'm deducting half a point each because they didn't stick the landing at the end and because there's no titties in it. 4/5 stars, go watch it.
