The Nature of the Beast (1995) User Reviews (54)

Tense, Well-Performed, Yet Underrated Thriller

[jcanettis · 7/10 · 5 August 2005]

Although underrated, "The Nature of The Beast" is a very good thriller. Its tense and bleak atmosphere keeps you in a nail-biting state throughout the film, with its best part being its end, when a brilliant plot twist really brings everything upside down.

The story begins with Jack (Henriksen), a typical, middle-class executive on a business travel, who bumps onto a murder scene; the policemen in charge advise him to be careful on his way, as there is a serial killer in the area hitch-hiking for his next victim. Keeping this advice in mind, he avoids somebody he encounters who asks for a lift; unfortunately, he is not so lucky, as he soon finds the guy in a diner some kilometers ahead. The guy loses no time to introduce himself as Andrian (Roberts), and he soon becomes a thorn on Jack's side, who in turn realizes that it will be very difficult to get away from this menace...

Featuring two great performances, the movie is virtually a two-man show: Both Roberts and Henriksen are really great in their roles, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the film's value is based on them. The other characters have short appearances which simply supplement the duo.

A film worth having a look. 7/10.

I like it, but...

[ep.com · 7/10 · 30 March 2002]

"Nature of the beast" is one of those "Never-ever-pick-up-a-hitchhiker"-thriller/horror-movies and it's probably a good example of this genre. The cast is terrific (you just can't go wrong with Henriksen and Roberts, even Brion James is in this for two minutes) and the movie is pretty exciting and fun to watch... until the last 5 minutes, when the writer/director manages to gloriously mess it up with an incredible stupid and forced twist-ending, that isn't just unlogical, but annoying as hell, too. Pretend it doesn't happen...

Worthy successor to Detour, The Hitch-Hiker and The Hitcher .....

[PimpinAinttEasy · 7/10 · 20 June 2016]

Dear Victor Salva,

I first watched The Nature of the Beast in the mid-90s. A few years after cable TV had become an important part of Indian life. It was called Bad Company back then. My father liked the film so much that he recorded it on a video cassette. I decided to re-watch it yesterday and I am glad to inform you that it has aged very well. You should think about releasing the film on Blu Ray.

Eric Roberts and Lance Henriksen must be two of the most underrated and underused actors in American cinema. That these two actors hardly got to do any good roles during the peak of their powers reflects the sorry state of American cinema in the last twenty years. In Nature of the Beast, they play two men on the run dangerously attracted to each other. Eric Robert's speech about how everyone is pretending and that there is nothing but emptiness at the center and that we are all beasts at the end of the day was very effective. I liked the offbeat characters that populated the American small towns that Roberts and Henrisken drove through. The point of view shots of deserted American highways are always a pleasure to look at. The ending was a bit of a letdown even though I never saw it coming. The film's basic plot might have been borrowed from films like Detour (1945), The Hitch-Hiker (1953) and The Hitcher (1986). The fact that the two characters are bound together by very different crimes makes The Nature of the Beast slightly different from its predecessors. Great effort, Victor. I will check out some of your other films.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

(7/10)

Overlooked and Under-appreciated

[fookin · 26 September 2000]

Possibly the only people who saw this movie are the ones who posted user comments, which is too bad. I wouldnt say it was one of the best movies ever made, and I wouldnt call it a piece of c**p either. This movie seemed to be made for people who appreciate second banana actors, and it was done pretty well in my opinion. Anyone who has stayed up late at night watching cable should be familiar with Eric and Lance. Lance is one of my favorite actors, and this was one of those movies that stand out in my mind when I think of his work. The ending was great. I dont want to give anything away, but...that pretty much made the movie for me. I think if this movie went mainstream with bigger named actors...like..I dont know, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, this would have been a hit. Instead, its doomed to be one of those movies that you see when you want to see something else, and its too bad, because as it is, it should be one that you want to watch. After checking for DVD availability for over a year now, I've come to the conclusion that this movie will never get a fair chance. Thats too bad, because its a good movie, and most people wont even know it was ever made.

The beast in the nature.

[dbdumonteil · 6/10 · 8 July 2005]

What I have to say is merely a repetition of what the other users said before:the two leads literally save the movie from absolute mediocrity.They are so good,their performances are so intense that they are to be commended for transcending the limitations they are working under .The script writers ,in order to make sure the audience understands they have been watching a "deep" "meaningful" work call Jeremiah (and the Bible) to the rescue,but it's too little too late.

This is the well known mix road movie/"there's a killer on the road" (as Jim Morrison used to sing),and even a child could guess who he is.But the film deserves a look ,weren't it only for the way two first-class actors can redeem abysmal scripts.

All Men Are Created Evil

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 16 November 2009]

"Eric Roberts and Lance Henriksen star in this intense psychological thriller about a businessman drawn into a bloody game of cat and mouse by a mysterious drifter. With the police searching for a serial killer on a murderous rampage, and a million dollars missing from a Las Vegas casino, both men have something sinister to hide. But as the lies are peeled away and their true nature is revealed, it becomes clear that one of them is a madman. The question is which one…" asks the DVD sleeve description.

Writer/director Victor Salva makes it like a psycho on wheels, with plenty of gay subtext. Picture "The Hitcher" with both driver and passenger playing psychopaths. Devilishly charismatic Mr. Roberts (as Adrian) was born to play this role, and a psychologically bent Mr. Henriksen (as Jack) matches him at most every turn. The production is inexpensive but effective; it keeps you either interested or riveted, but fails, in the end, to tie its interesting threads together. And, Henriksen's girth was unnecessary.

******* The Nature of the Beast (10/24/95) Victor Salva ~ Lance Henriksen, Eric Roberts, Brion James, Sasha Jenson

Strange Thriller (spoilers)

[vertigo_14 · 7/10 · 30 May 2004]

The "Nature of the Beast" is a very strange thriller, but a decent one to look out for.

Henricksen and Roberts share the lead as to guys with deceptive pasts and suspicious secrets. It is like a noir thriller where the quiet character (Henricksen as "Jack") is unexpectedly caught up in a mess because he can never seem to leave town. The small, desolate town just seems to suck him in, and the only way to escape in these kinds of stories is by death of one or both of our primary characters.

Jack is just a guy who's been driving around a desert. We don't really know much about him, other than he's got a wife who repeatedly tries to get in touch with him, and that he's been driving around the desert for some time, presumably because he was lost.

Jack picked a bad time to roll through town, as police cars and forensic units move from one small squat to another cleaning up homicides from a serial killer who leaves his calling card--The Hatchetman. Because their investigations block up the road, he's forced to stay in town.

That's when Jack meets the self-indulgent, sob story with an eerie knack for getting on Jack's nerves, Adrian (Eric Roberts). Jack may be "off" as this strange guy walking around town with a metal briefcase close at hand. But, Adrian, a heroin addict, is much weirder and insists that he isn't going to leave Jack's side. Sure, Jack could just turn the hitchhiker into the cops, but Adrian's got leverage against him. That's because Jack suspects Adrian of being the "Hatchetman" (he often pops out from a shadow at the murder investigations when Jack arrives). And Adrian says he thinks Jack's suitcase is full of the million dollars stolen from a casino a few miles back. So, Jack is stuck with Adrian. But unfortunate for Adrian, he underestimates Jack's limits.

Albeit a strange thriller, particularly due to the nature of Robert's character, a relentless junkie with homoerotic undertones who may be the elusive "Hatchetman." Jack's character is pretty weird, too. He never says too much about himself, and I suspect the viewer is expected to get a little frustrated and wanting to know more about Jack. But we find out very little about him. And that can drive a person nuts when you're making assumptions as to who did what.

But, it is still an engaging thriller, once you start getting involved in the story. Half-way through, things are not as you first assumed. And the final half is riddled with unseen twists. It's worth trying out if you can find it.

Very poorly done movie

[dave3117 · 1/10 · 23 January 1999]

I had a bad feeling ten seconds into the film as a pair of overworked tumbleweeds (probably left over from a bad western) blew across the scene. The bad feeling grew ten seconds later when the obligatory opening stranger-turned-human-sacrifice for no apparent reason lowered his rear view mirror to see a shadow in the back seat. For the next five minutes over the opening credits we are treated to an overhead shot of the car rocking back and forth and only the dramatic made-for-TV-movie music informs us a killing is taking place, not a make-out session. For the next 27 or so hours we are treated to two idiotic psychotics who for some reason seem compelled to drive through the desert Southwest together, going after each other like a demented Abbot & Costello. Even with the "shocking" twists at the end, we are merely left to shake our heads and wonder if the producers and director/writer feel as ashamed and embarrassed as they should for creating this inconsistent, incoherent nonsense.

"I'm a man with a secret too myself."

[johnny-08 · 8/10 · 19 June 2007]

I like movies in which I don't know what's happening until the end. This is one of them. Very underrated, something like "Secret Window" with Johnny Depp. Story is good and it's about Jack who's driving through Nevada and soon he picks Adrian, a mysterious man who don't want to go away from him even when Jack is trying to lose him. This story will keep you tense right till' the end. Only two important characters are Jack and Adrian and they are played by Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts. Both of them are superb in their roles and they are keeping this movie interesting to watch. I would like to congratulate Mr. Roberts on this role because this is one of his greatest performances. Good plot and excellent actors are here, so all you need to do is watch this movie. You won't regret. I didn't.

Good character piece

[refinedsugar · 6/10 · 3 February 2000]

On the surface, 'Nature of the Beast' is a pretty standard DTV affair with nothing to overly recommend it. However it's the two leads that make it work. Lance Henriksen & Eric Roberts star in a quasi-road trip movie where one is left to wonder which one of them is the serial killer on the loose dubbed "The Hatchet Man" and whenever one of them is the person responsible for ripping off a casino for a cool million dollars.

There's some solid character acting going on here. A battle of wits. A mental almost cat and mouse game between the two. The idea of giving Lance's character a gut was silly though and the straightforward plot drifts at times, but the two leads ultimately hold it together.

'Nature Of The Beast' has decent atmosphere and a pretty good ending. The only reason I took a view is because of Lance Henriksen one of my favorite actors. Loved him in the 'Millennium' tv series. I recommend this to fellow fans. Although this has to be one of the better straight-to-video movies that Roberts has appeared in.

Hard to get interested in this thriller.

[Cinemaniac1984 · 1/10 · 27 October 2015]

The Nature of the Beast looked liked a decent time filler however after 30 minutes I found myself wondering when the movie would end as I just could not find this to be an interesting movie at all. I forget how the movie ended as this was overall just poor.

Basically the movie is about Adrian (Eric Roberts) meeting Jack (Lance Hendrikson) and Adrian is trying to lose Jack after finding him to be a very unhinged person. At the same man, there are murders being committed by a killer known as Hatchet Man.

Eric Roberts and Lance Hendrikson were both suited to this movie however it is a shame I found this to be uninteresting.

Certainly not a movie for everyone due to its dark, grisly themes.

1/10.

Brilliant

[hitman_1980 · 10/10 · 23 June 2006]

This one sharp and solid thriller which ended up underrated for some reason. Movies which manage to create tension through solid dialogs and great performances are real gems these days. The story looks simple: Jack tries to avoid Adrian, a hitcher, after being warned by the police about a serial killer running loose. However, the two men meet again in a Cafe, and they become inseparable, since they know each other's secrets. One of them is the serial killer, while the other managed to stole a big amount of money from a Vegas Casion. This movie manages to keep you from yawning or fast-forwarding by using smart dialogs and brilliant twists. And just when you start thinking you can anticipate the ending, it hits you on the head really hard. The entire movie is based on the performances of Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts, which prove once again that they are underrated for no reason. The chemistry between them is always there, but in a creepy way. The soundtrack fits the story perfectly, and the depiction is brilliant. If you haven't seen it, don't rent it, BUY it. You'll end up watching it at least three times and then again, at irregular intervals. Hopefully they will do justice to this movie one day, and really promote it, like they should have done from the day it came out. Conclusion: one of the smartest, memorable thrillers you'll ever see.

Two Intense Actors that are Always Worth a Watch

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 25 July 2014]

An Above Average, Little Seen, DTV Movie that has for Your Viewing Pleasure Two Actors that can be as Intense and Scary as They Like. it is a Treat to Watch these two Ham it Up and Fully Embrace the Characters in this Film.

Both are On the Edge, Eric Roberts because He is the Prime Suspect in a Series of Hatchet Killings that Always Occur in His Proximity, and Lance Henriksen because He is Clutching a Steel Briefcase. The Plot Informs that a Million Dollars Plus had been Stolen from a Casino and the Thief is on the Run.

When these Two Meet Up it is a Reluctant Pairing with a Blackmail Threat and the Thing is Tied Together with some Loose Threads that are too Glaring to Ignore. Some Stuff Happens that if Given a Moticum of Thought come Unraveled and Reveal Some Big Holes.

But if Given Enough Freedom to Stretch Things Beyond Believability there is a Chance that the Suspense and Mystery will Suck You into its Irrationality. If so it is More than Passable and these Two Psycho-Stars are Always Worth a Watch.

desperately seeking suspense

[Jonny_Numb · 3/10 · 25 August 2005]

The setup for "Nature of the Beast" is ingeniously simple, and fraught with limitless potential for suspense: harried salesman Jack (a very domesticated Lance Henriksen) picks up trouble in the form of hitchhiker Adrian (Eric Roberts), who seems to be in possession of incriminating information against Jack. Oh, and over a million dollars has been stolen from a casino and someone dubbed 'Hatchet Man' is dismembering people in the desert. Sounds great, right? Sort of like "The Hitcher" meets "Psycho." One or both of these men has a secret, and nothing is as it seems! Well, unfortunately, writer-director Victor Salva (of "Jeepers Creepers" and "Powder" fame) doesn't have enough ideas to keep the movie going, the scenario arouses no tension or suspense (poison for what is supposedly a 'thriller'), and the inclusion of an underlying homo-erotic tone seems out-of-place. Henriksen evokes an unusual, not-quite-earthbound Everyman (even sporting an ample gut), but Roberts is about as threatening and scary as an extra in "Death Wish 3"; we're never sucked in to the point where we actually CARE about what's happening, and the conclusion slides into improbable territory (I kept thinking it was going to be "Fight Club" all over again, but I was mistaken). Too bad. "Nature of the Beast" could have been something else...instead of nothing else.

Criminally underrated serial killer thriller!

[Infofreak · 25 May 2002]

I first watched 'Nature Of The Beast' about six years ago and was impressed by it. A second viewing yesterday confirmed my opinion, though my enjoyment was slightly lessened as the twist ending was obviously no longer a surprise. I can't see why this movie hasn't received more attention. Perhaps because the two leads Eric Roberts ('Runaway Train', 'The Immortals') and Lance Henriksen ('Near Dark', 'The Quick And The Dead'), both great favourites of mine, have made way too many stupid action direct-to-video movies and people just think this one is more of the same. It isn't, it's much better than that. Roberts and Henriksen both excel in this tense and unpredictable road movie. I don't want to give much away as the less you know before you watch it the more you will get out of it. Sure it's a cheesy b-grade thriller, but it's a superior example of the genre. Director Victor Salva went on to make 'Jeepers Creepers', a movie I haven't seen at the time of writing this. Hopefully the success of that movie will create some interest in his previous efforts, especially this one.

Oh, and if you're a Brion James ('Blade Runner', 'Crimewave') fan like myself, be warned, he doesn't appear until towards the end, and only for one scene. Despite third billing it's nothing more than a cameo.

Low Budget Road Thriller

[JoelChamp85 · 7/10 · 14 April 2021]

A cool little "Road Thriller" set on the long stretches of desert road. With reports of a hatchet killer and $1 mil in stolen cash in the same area we follow a business man who's forced to give a hitch-hiker a lift, which ensues a game of mystery and murder. A low budget film done fairly well.

Decent thriller from the "Jeepers Creepers" auteur...

[MrGKB · 6/10 · 30 August 2006]

...provides a tolerable waste of time, particularly to fans of Lance Henricksen and/or Eric Roberts. In a nutshell, there's a psycho on the loose in the American southwest, and as luck would have it, he crosses paths with a guy who's ripped off a casino for a million dollars or so. One thing leads to another, and the fun is all in watching how it plays out, thanks to consistent work on the part of Henricksen and Roberts. Even the ubiquitous Lin Shaye gets in on the action, along with a cameo appearance from Brion James, who is most distressingly looking every bit of his age.

There are a few "Oh, c'mons!" in the script, and Henricksen's "fat roll" is a little too obviously fake, but by and large this little drama unfolds in a reasonably satisfying (if not overly believable) manner, much like its obviously inspirational predecessors, "Prey," and "The Hitcher." There are no great surprises in store, including the twist ending, but the production values are high, especially the cinematography by Levie "Malcolm in the Middle" Isaacks, and some moody scoring by Bennett "Jeepers Creepers" Salvay.

"You can't kill the Devil, Jack," but it's always fun when someone tries.

Could have been better

[SideShowBob · 6/10 · 24 May 2002]

The basic premise of the film is that Jack is apparently on a business trip driving around the back roads of America. He meets Adrian who is hitchhiming. Both of them have a secret to hide. One of them has stolen $1,000,000 of mob money from a casino in Vegas; the other is a serial killer known as 'Hatchet Man'. The truth as to who they really are is not revelaed until the bitter end.

The basic story is sound, but could have been handled a little better. The film seems fragmented and clichéd, with an ending that is nonsensical.

Not amazing, but worth sitting through.

[BlitzJaeger · 5/10 · 4 November 2006]

I've seen enough movies to know this genre, and this movie reminded me a lot of the movie "Switchback" with Danny Glover. Its the same old crazy hitchhiker type theme, but with some differences added.

Lance and Eric are both amazing actors, and you have to give them props for their work here too. They are believable in their roles, and keep character the entire movie. Their scenes together were tensed and uncomfortable but that was exactly how it should have gone. I applaud them both. The movie was a bit on the slower side, because of its mystery nature, and really its more about situational tension than anything else. Still, I kept watching so I was interested enough to see what happens and the actors were a big part of that.

I agree with the guy above me in that the ending was a bit on the disappointing side. The twists still got me good actually, and I was OK with them, but I agree they were forced and probably should have been smoothed over better by redoing the last 15 minutes or so. Its one of those movies where they just sorta end and you like "What!"

So as I said, worth watching, but because of a little forced direction could have been better.

A second helping will be mandatory

[Rogue-32 · 9/10 · 4 June 2002]

Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts cannot be any more effective than they are in this extremely perverse little movie, which must be seen by anyone who enjoys a serious cinematic mind-f#@k now and again. And Victor Salva's writing holds up upon the second viewing, which will be mandatory.

Good 90's B-movie suspense thriller with a solid cast

[kclipper · 7/10 · 13 May 2011]

What could possibly be more fun and intriguing? An obscure serial killer flick starring the great Lance Henrickson and Eric Roberts as his nemesis with veteran B-movie actor Brion James as an unbeknown sheriff. All this rolled into a twisted cat and mouse game that keeps the audience guessing to the end. The mid-nineties was a time where horror movies took a dive from the 80's VHS Video rental craze to the point where b-horror comedies and thrillers would become few and far between. Right before the DVD revolution would eventually shine its face on the world, there were still some unappreciated genre films festering in the minds of talented film makers, and daring studios that help them pull it off. The VHS world was not quite defeated yet, and "Nature of the Beast" was one of those 1990's horror-thrillers that quickly hit VHS and pay cable networks after the success of "Silence of The Lambs". This has all the elements of a good cat and mouse thriller. All you have to know is that Lance Henrickson (at his best) is a traveling salesman with a secret, Eric Roberts is the lone drifter that he picks up, and lots of people are getting hacked up by a serial killer called "Hatchet Man" everywhere they seem to go. Of course, the two seem like opposite personalities butting heads constantly until one or the other gets the upper hand. A solid script handled well by a perfect cast thats experienced with this kind of genre. Each contributing to the suspense until the audience can only guess who the killer is. The isolation of the desert landscape creates tremendous tension, and the surprises are abound. This is finely crafted stuff by Victor Salva who's "Jeepers Creepers" fails miserably in comparison. Be prepared for a whopper of an ending too.

No.

[bombersflyup · 1/10 · 1 January 2023]

The Nature of the Beast is a bad film, poorly made and uninteresting.

From the writer and director of the excellent "Jeepers Creepers," this though some of his earlier work. It's "paper" thin and it makes no sense other than to be purely misleading and Eric Roberts is woeful casting choice. Everything has basically already happened or is happening off screen, all we get is these two nutjobs in each other's company for really no reason at all. It's entirely pointless and void of any feeling whatsoever, all you get is snippets here and there and a lot talking nonsense. Seems any film with drugs in it is always boosted in rating.

The wide open desert is a lonely and dangerous place especially with a serial killer on the loose

[sol-kay · 8/10 · 18 March 2004]

+There May be Spoilers+ There's a serial killer on the loose striking motorists on the desert highway between Nevada and California. In this violent setting two men meet up as if it were by fate. One a paper goods salesman from Las Vegas Jack Powell, Lance Henriksen, and one a drifter Adrian, Eric Roberts, from God's only knows where and you sense right away that one is the murderer but which one is he?

Suspenseful movie about murder and madness that goes the whole nine yards and even more in shocking the living hell out of the audience. The scene towards the end of the movie between Jack Powell and Sheriff Gordon, Brion James and his deputy Little David Brewer, Tom Tarntini, outside Powell's cabin is so electrifying charged and nail biting that it had me want to turn off the VCR because my nerves just about had it from the almost unbearable tension watching it.

There is admittedly some uneven scenes in the film but overall they don't take anything away from the jolts in it that in some cases leaves you paralyzed from shock. The ending is a bit confusing but it's just for that very reason that make it so effective. Nothing in the movie seems to be what you think that it is even the murderer.

Solid performances by the two top stars Lance Henriksen & Eric Roberts who despite the very capable supporting cast carry the movie all by themselves.

Kinda Killer, Kinda Filler

[cultfilmfreaksdotcom · 6/10 · 6 May 2013]

An exploitation Oscar and Felix casts Eric Roberts as Adrian, a dirty piece of human driftwood hitchhiking the lonesome desert highway where, in random stopovers, people are being massacred by a phantom calling himself THE HATCHET MAN. Also, a local bank was robbed of a million bucks and uptight traveling salesman Jack, played by a subdued Lance Henriksen, reluctantly gives Adrian rides throughout the scorched purgatory.

Jack, a dreary victim of Adrian's cocky pontifications of sex, violence and drugs, has a constant expression of a guy who has yet to drink his morning cup of coffee; while Adrian seems like he just bench-pressed a piano while chain-smoking cigarettes on crystal meth.

Their best moments are hanging out at a dirty spoon diner or joining up with a free-spirited hippie couple living out of a van. Thus the mystery unravels and two important questions surface: When will the Hatchet Man, who seems to be Adrian, strike again? And will Jack, carrying around his metallic briefcase with not-so-mysterious contents inside, be an eventual victim?

With a David Lynch vibe sans the distracting weirdness, THE NATURE OF THE BEAST... where the spooky desert becomes an ominous character in itself... is an entertaining vehicle for two actors usually cast in the predator role: that aspect alone makes the film's conclusion both pleasantly surprising and utterly predictable.

another 50-50 movie? surely not...

[AJCrowley · 29 May 2003]

well, despite some scathing reviews on here, i loved it. it's got some glorious tension building, and although the ending is scrappy, the exploration of morality between the two characters, and what their lives are built on gives a lot of energy to that tension, and to the ending. some bits could have been handled better, but the portrayal of Henriksen as the "loser" character (was that paunch fake anyone know?) is wonderful, a real Homer. right up til the end.

watching it for the second time to re-evaluate the relationship between the two bears up too, now you know what they and you know.

watch it, it's worth it. Henriksen at a high point.