The Nature of the Beast (1995)

Two men, both hiding a deadly secret, are on a murderous rampage through the desert.

Director:

Victor Salva

Writer:

Victor Salva

Stars:

Eric Roberts, Lance Henriksen, Brion James

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eric Roberts	...	Adrian (Dusty)
Lance Henriksen	...	Jack Powell
Brion James	...	Sheriff Gordon
Frank Novak	...	Manfred
William A. Temple	...	Elderly gentleman
Earl Theroux	...	Mr. Winneman
Lila Garrett	...	Mrs. Winneman
Eloy Casados	...	Sheriff #1
Eliza Roberts	...	Patsy
Hollace Colburn	...	Counter waitress
Bob May	...	Trooper in diner
Sara Young	...	Lady in diner
John Toles-Bey	...	Trooper at roadblock
Zachary Weintraub	...	Young man at motel (as Zachary Bogatz)
Curt Darling	...	Queasy deputy

Storyline

Jack meets Adrian out in Nevada. Adrian latches on to Jack, and won't go away. Jack tries to lose Adrian, but Adrian informs Jack not to mess with him, or he'll call the police because he knows Jack's secret. In the meantime, the car radio keeps blaring news reports of a serial killer in the area called "The Hatchet Man", as well as a theft of a huge sum of money from a local casino. Jack is concealing a briefcase, and wherever he and Adrian go, "The Hatchet Man" seems to strike within the vicinity!

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Plot Keywords:

trailer narrated by jim cummings | evil wins | hatchet murder | bible quote | sheriff | 

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Taglines:

All men are created evil.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for hard drug use, strong language, a sex scene and some terror/violence

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nature of the Beast

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Itasca Pictures, New Line Cinema, Norstar Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Eric Roberts turned down a chance to star in Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back (1995) to star in this.

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Quotes

Adrian: The fella' in the fancy suit must have a name.
Jack Powell: Jack.
Adrian: You know, Jack? I can usually tell in about two minutes all I need to know about a person.
Jack Powell: Like what?
Adrian: Like is he a loser? Does he shoot dope? Does he like to wear ladies' underwear?
Jack Powell: Are you telling me that you're a psychic, or that you like to look at people's pants?
Adrian: You're a funny guy, Jack.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

User Reviews

Brilliant

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.