In a Violent Nature director reveals how movie’s most brutal kill was shot

In a Violent Nature has some of the gnarliest kills in horror movie history, and achieving its most brutal scene was no mean feat, according to director Chris Nash. 

There are plenty of new horror movies to get excited about in 2024, one of which is In a Violent Nature, a ruthless slasher with a unique hook: the story is told from the POV of the killer. 

While its Gus Van Sant-inspired scenes create an incredibly tense atmosphere, the horror film features some of the grisliest kills — so much so that it’s officially unrated and there were reports of an audience member vomiting.

Dexerto caught up with Nash to ask about one execution in particular, but before we get into it, let it be known that we’re entering SPOILER TERRITORY…

The scene in question involves Aurora (Charlotte Creaghan), who is just trying to enjoy some yoga out in the woods when the resurrected killer Johnny approaches her. 

Audience reacting to a kill from ‘IN A VIOLENT NATURE’ during the Chicago Critics Film Fest screening of the film. An audience member also vomited during the screening.
 
The film, described as a slasher from the killer's perspective, hits theaters on May 31. pic.twitter.com/KGlyC3HFXa

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) May 6, 2024

She tries to run away but stops abruptly when she reaches the cliff edge. Before she has time to make a decision, Johnny, holding onto a hook and chain, punches his hand right through her torso.

He then flings the hook into her head, yanking the chain to pull her head through her torso — in other words, he turns Aurora into a human pretzel. It truly has to be seen (and heard) to be believed. 

As for how the scene was created, Nash told us: “That was one that we planned out pretty meticulously — every shot was storyboarded. 

“We had basically three different stages of the body in three different positions to try to create the whole effect happening. And each body was just a torso with a head, and we had arms and legs that could be swapped on each one. The whole thing was played out on a stand. 

“It wasn’t as difficult as you would think. It just took time. We had a pretty skeleton crew getting that whole gag done. So it was just a lot of setup more than anything to get it done. 

“Also, we were shooting in a very remote location so just getting people there — it was all technical things that were pretty far removed from the actual gag itself.”

For more of the good stuff, check out our roundup of the best horror movies ever made. And why not check out the best new movies coming to streaming this month, as well as the TV shows to add to your watchlist.