IFC Films’ independent experimental slasher movie In a Violent Nature turns the well-worn horror subgenre on its head, but it won’t be the only horror movie of its kind in 2024. Like many traditional slasher movies, In a Violent Nature features a massive masked killer stalking a group of unsuspecting teenagers and killing them in inventive and gruesome fashion. However, In a Violent Nature manages to subvert expectations by showing the events from the perspective of Johnny, the undead killer with a child-like mentality.

While it’s difficult to identify with a monster as he disassembles human bodies, the movie provides just enough backstory for Johnny to create some sympathy, or at the very least an understanding of his motivations. The brutal slasher subgenre is about as played-out as can be, so a movie like In a Violent Nature finding new ground should be considered a major achievement. Oddly enough, In a Violent Nature will share its most original trait with another high-concept horror movie set to release in 2024, kicking off a small horror trend that has room to evolve.

In A Violent Nature Is The First Of Two First-Person Horror Films In 2024

Presence will release later in 2024

In a Violent Nature broke new ground by using a first-person perspective from its killer for much of its runtime, and another movie will do something similar in 2024: Steven Soderbergh’s Presence. The latest from the legendary Soderbergh (Sex, Lies, and Videotape) puts an uncanny spin on the concept of a haunted house, as the entire movie is shot from the perspective of the entity that haunts the house in which the movie takes place. Presence debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January, and was reportedly so intense and stress-inducing that some viewers left the theater, per Variety.

Starring Lucy Liu, Julia Fox and Chris Sullivan, Presence will differ from In a Violent Nature in that it never reveals the invisible entity that plagues the family at the movie’s center, while multiple angles are shown of Johnny’s various brutal kills. While some backstory for the entity may be revealed, the camera never leaves its perspective, so it will remain mysterious throughout the movie’s runtime. Despite the differences, the concept of a horror movie sticking with the perspective of its monster as opposed to switching or focusing on its victims is shared, and will make for an interesting comparison.

The First-Person Monster Concept Should Continue To Evolve With The Horror Genre

It can be used to great effect from time to time

In a Violent Nature has received critical acclaim and will be a box office win when all is said and done. Presence debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 92% Tomatometer score, so it feels safe to say that both movies have proven how effective the first-person point-of-view can be as an approach to horror. It’s something that should be incorporated into the genre more often, and could be expanded upon as the genre evolves.

That’s not to say that more horror movies shot entirely from the first-person POV are necessary. While there may be other opportunities for a fully first-person movie yet to be discovered, the first-person POV could shift from an entire filmmaking style to a useful tool for horror auteurs. The first-person POV has been used in the past to great effect in horror, and In a Violent Nature proves that mixing that perspective with traditional camera angles can create something unique and visually exciting.