20 Greatest Horror Movie Endings of the 2020s (So Far)
7. In a Violent Nature
In a Violent Nature is certainly not for everyone - a slow cinema take on the slasher genre that subverts expectations all the way up to its confounding-yet-brilliant ending.
In the climax, Final Girl Kris (Andrea Pavlovic) flees masked murderer Johnny (Ry Barrett), limping out of the woods with an injured leg and being picked up by a woman (Lauren-Marie Taylor) passing by.
A long conversation follows in which the audience is basically led to assume that this woman may well be in league with Johnny - especially as she's played by Friday the 13th alum Lauren-Marie Taylor.
This suspenseful sequence concludes with the woman pulling over to apply a tourniquet to Kris' injured leg, all while Kris panics that Johnny is about to attack from the woods.
However, after a lengthy pause Johnny never comes, with a final shot showing Johnny's cherished locket missing, implying that his soul at rest - at least until the upcoming sequel comes out.
Though this ending certainly frustrated some viewers who hoped for a more blood-soaked finale, it was nevertheless a marvelously anxious feat of trolling the audience, leading them to expect an obvious twist only to veer off in another direction altogether.