I Know What You Did Last Summer has the trifecta of being hot, funny, and bloody, and is a fun time at the theater as long as you don’t think too hard about the plot. It’s a great hook (pun intended) that a gentrified Southport that wants nothing more than to forget about the grizzly murders of 1997 is forced to confront another murder spree with a new set of kids. The film fails to fully capitalize on its potential, but a sequel seems destined to be greenlit.

In a world where legacy sequels and remakes rule the cinema, I was excited to see what I Know What You Did Last Summer would bring to the table. I had never seen the original films and planned to watch them beforehand. Only the original was available on MGM+, which I don’t subscribe to. So while that plan was shot down, I ended up with an opportunity to take this film truly on its own with no bias, and ended up enjoying it. Young adults covering up a stupid mistake they made and promising to keep it a secret is an evergreen premise. Thankfully, kids of every generation are capable of immature decisions. 

The journey begins with Ava (Chase Sui Wonders) attending her best friend Danica’s (Madelyn Cline) engagement party to her fiancé Teddy (Tyriq Withers). His father is a wealthy real estate investor who has helped gentrify Southport from a little fishing town to “the Hamptons of the South,” as the movie claims. Ava’s concerned about seeing her ex-boyfriend Milo (Jonah Hauer-King). The four of them were a group in high school alongside Stevie (Sarah Pigeon), who happened to be working the event as part of the catering. She had been struggling recently, having lost her college fund and checked out of rehab. The five reconnect and decide to go watch the 4th of July fireworks at Reaper’s Curve. Everyone is drinking but Danica, the designated driver.

After some tomfoolery about standing in the middle of the road, an accident actually happens when a truck swerves to avoid them and almost falls off the cliff. The gang tries to save him, but their combined strength isn’t enough to pull it back up, and the truck plummets to the ocean. They all fight about what to do, stay or go, involve the police or not. Teddy calls his powerful father, and he takes care of it. Danica and Teddy claimed they were going to head to the police station, but it was a lie to get the group to leave the scene of the accident. They never actually go. Instead, they promise to keep what happened that night a secret between the five of them. One year later, at Danica’s bridal shower, she receives a note that says “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” and this begins the saga of the hook-handed killer attacking the group. They reach out to previous survivors Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) for advice on handling this. 

Like any whodunit film, there tend to be some plot holes that, upon closer look, make no sense. To avoid spoilers, there are a couple of moments where two knowledgeable characters act as if they are in front of other characters not in the know, not acting the way they would’ve if they were alone. This was avoided so the audience was left in suspense longer, but these scenes easily could’ve been cut or adjusted. Also, the killers’ motivations can easily have holes poked through them. One of the reasons is obvious (the car accident). The other, which relates to how the town has changed over the years, makes no sense because of how a particular podcaster character is dealt with. Nobody is expecting an airtight script per se based on the vibe of the film, but with some minor adjustments, they wouldn’t exist.  

Despite the issues with the screenplay, I Know What You Did Last Summer is a lot of fun! This was more of a jump-scare and gory horror film, which is my taste. The score does a good job of keeping the tension, even if it is somewhat basic. The film is campy, and the tone leans towards horror-comedy, particularly thanks to Madelyn Cline’s hilarious performance. For anyone who has seen the original films, there should be plenty of easter eggs. Even though I didn’t understand exactly what was being referenced, it doesn’t mean it isn’t obvious they are referencing something. There is one gratuitous cameo that doesn’t connect to the story, but will be a big moment for fans of the series. Overall, the cast is the best part by far. They all have great chemistry with each other. I would watch a prequel of just their drama in the friend group, aside from the murders. 

The writer and director of the film is Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who previously directed the Netflix film Do Revenge. This fun teen comedy surpassed expectations and turned out to be a banger. Between that film and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Robinson is an expert at writing Gen-Z humor and behavior. Also, she chose a stellar group of actors who look great together and have a sense of how to play the campiness of the script. 

I Know What You Did Last Summer has the trifecta of being hot, funny, and bloody, and is a fun time at the theater as long as you don’t think too hard about the plot. It’s a great hook (pun intended) that a gentrified Southport that wants nothing more than to forget about the grizzly murders of 1997 is forced to confront another murder spree with a new set of kids. The film fails to fully capitalize on its potential, but a sequel seems destined to be greenlit. Hopefully Robinson will get another chance to bring it to a higher level. 

Grade: C+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should Be Considered: None

Where to Watch: In Theaters