Customer Reviews

Nature of the Beast

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recall renting this a few years back just because of the two leads (Eric Roberts and Lance Henriksen) being teamed, as each are fine character actors, and the premise of a good, old-fashioned mystery/thriller.
As it turned out, this is a taunt little chiller with a great premise and even better ending. I won't give anything away, but the ending is truly worth the price of admission. Roberts and Henriksen are at the top of their game, and Director Victor Silva (pre JEEPERS CREEPERS) sets just the right tone.
I'm only hoping they come up with a few worthwhile extras to boot. A commentary by Silva would be a great bonus.
Top notch suspense.

Virtually unnoticed when released in the 90's, Nature of the Beast is surprisingly taut and suspenseful. Directed by pre-Jeepers Creepers director Victor Salva, Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts provide solid performances in this tale of a salesman (Henriksen) who picks up a mysterious hitcher (Roberts) during a time when a serial killer is racking up a body count. From this point on, Nature of the Beast becomes a taut character study, and you'll never see the film's twist ending coming. Overlooked to this day as a suspense gem, Nature of the Beast finally makes it's way to DVD thanks to New Line, and it includes an insightful commentary by Salva. Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a better than average shocker.

Nature of the Beast is the best thing Victor Salva has done, in my opinion. The writer/director behind Powder and the Jeepers Creepers series has a little-known gem in Nature of the Beast. The plot is simply this - out in the rural nothingness between Las Vegas and California two major happenings are continuously in the news: Someone has stolen a million in cash from a casino, and someone dubbed the "hatchet man" is killing people all along the main highway in the same area. Via what seems like fate, the characters of Eric Roberts and Lance Henrikson find themselves stuck together as they each know, fear and respect what the other is. One of them is the thief. One of them is the "hatchet man." But who's who is what makes the film so great. It keeps going back and forth making you constantly second guess yourself while they play a cat-and-mouse game with each other. This movie is one of the best whodunnits and among the most influential films of its genre that I think has ever been made. It's also about the best acting either of the leads have ever done.

I knew I would enjoy this just because Eric Roberts and Lance Henrickson are in it. They are both superb actors. The movie was a suspense thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. They both have secrets. Roberts manipulates Henrickson because he knows his secret. But in the end (without saying too much), Henrickson gets the upper hand. Very enjoyable!

Nature Of The Beast was the Best Movie Ever! Eric and Lance were Great together! They had Fantastic Chemisty!

The Plot was Exciting....The Acting was Superb......The Pace was Fast and Thrilling with Sprinkles of Humor throughout the drama. It kept you on your toes and curious to see what would happen next!

I absolutely LOVED THIS MOVIE! Best purchase I've made in a long time!

I give it 10 Stars!!

Sincerely,
Neva