MY CALL: This is not the fast-paced, “fun” or cheeky popcorn horror you were looking for. This is something else. Something that is simultaneously tropey and thoughtful, and very patient. It’s more of a serious film than a fun flick… but it still packs the over-the-top, way gory death scenes you want. MORE MOVIES LIKE In a Violent Nature: There are many high-quality slashers out there. I’d recommend going back to the earlier half of the 80s for some special selections with the likes of Maniac (1980), The Prowler (1981), Madman (1981), Pieces (1982) and maaaaaybe even The Slumber Party Massacre (1982).
Has the basement scene from The Cabin in the Woods (2012) taught us nothing? During a hike to a collapsed fire tower in the woods where a grisly mass murder transpired many years ago, a twentysomething takes a curiously placed gold locket from the site even after his friend suggested that it looked like it was put there for a reason! Only minutes later, and devoid of the grand Friday the 13th part VI (1986) lightning strike resurrection and stormy weather pageantry, a body slowly emerges, shambling beneath soil and dead leaves. No dramatic scoring to be found; just birds peacefully chirping and the sound of the resurrected’s footsteps through the forest on a sunny day as our undead menace makes his way towards the group of camping twentysomethings responsible for taking his locket.
Then, in classically tropey form, a campfire tale provides the backstory exposition for Johnny (Ry Barrett; Lifechanger, Massacre at Femur Creek), the vengeful spirit that slaughtered those involved in the death of himself and his father years ago… and he was buried under the fire tower.
This is very clearly something of a love letter and reimagining of the Friday the 13th franchise. But the unique element here is that the camera’s perspective is that of our Jason Voorhees-like killer. The camera follows Johnny, revealing the quiet, less eventful observations of a mute masked killer as he moves from one death scene location to another amidst a horror movie. We see what Johnny sees, hears, observes, and what provokes him.
This film has received some negative criticism regarding the pacing, with complaints that “nothing happens” and “we just watch him walking around.” But I’d say, that’s the point. The killer’s perspective is much less salacious than twentysomethings partying, playing music, having sex, playing pranks on one another in the dark, and stumbling across the occasional graphically mutilated carcasses of their friends. Instead, we see how Johnny notices and chooses his victims. And then, yeah, we still get the gory death scene payoff. Moreover, I think we get just as much overall gory payoff. Really gory payoff. The yoga-hook-chain death and the rock-head-smash death were both just deliciously gross and graphic. The movie is so calm and quiet… and then it’s really not.
So is this a Friday night popcorn flick? Not really. It’s a thoughtful, taciturn think-piece showing the killer’s perspective while still delivering some solid, creative, gory kills. For those who want the more flagrantly fun slashers, I’d turn you to the Hatchet franchise (2006-2017). But for those true “film” fans who want a differently flavored slasher from time to time, this is the film for you.
This may not have been very exciting most of the time (except for some wild kills here and there), and the ending was especially slow (but not uninteresting, mind you). Still, I enjoyed this quite a bit. So to writer and director Chris Nash (ABCs of Death 2 “Z is for Zygote”), I’m picking up what you’re putting down.