People are voting emotionally.

Excellent, a Must See

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

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.

"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

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.

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.