Film Review: I Know What You Did Last Summer

Back It has now become a trend in the horror genre to revisit past franchises by reuniting old cast with a more modern cast in order to bring said franchises back to life. Scream, Final Destination and Halloween have all had big comebacks in the recent years and it appears another 90s dormant slasher franchise is joining these as I Know What You Did Last Summer joins them in re-capturing the spirit of the 90s but also updating it for new audiences.

The problem with I Know What You Did Last Summer is that the plot does require you to have some knowledge, but albeit not all of your knowledge, of the original film that kick-started this franchise. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. both return to their roles in this legacy sequel. The basic premise from the original follows through into this film with the centre of the story being a masked killer and, a bit like Scream, the mystery of who the killer could be is part of what drives the story.

Madelyn Cline, Jonah Hauer-King, Chase Sui Wonders, Tyriq Withers and Sarah Pidgeon all play the group of friends who get that daunting note. A handwritten note that reads simply; I know what you did last summer. The specifics around what they did is what kick-starts the film. Set one year after the incident the friend's team up to find out who is threatening them and why. Ray Bronson and Julie James, played by Prinze and Hewitt, are key parts of the narrative and an understanding of their past helps audiences learn the motivations of the new killer.

The film may not have as many creative deaths as say the newest Final Destination film, and the mystery is a bit over-played as well, but the characters are all interesting enough to stick with the film to the end. There is plenty of nods and easter eggs for old fans of the series to enjoy, but new audiences may not understand easily. It does compel you however to seek out the original film after the credits have rolled but it would’ve been handy to know that before seeing the film.

I Know What You Did Last Summer doesn’t do anything major in terms of updating the series. The fish-hook killer, the note and many of the callbacks from the original are here so the film feels the same but it also looks and acts like any other slasher modern horror film. The slasher genre is getting a big revival as of late and it is easy to see why as the mystery element gets audiences guessing and the pay-off is usually rather satisfying. The ending to this film does have some surprises, but one surprise that I will spoil is that it leaves the door open for future sequels which feel all but inevitable.

★★☆☆☆

2/5

Final Verdict:

It has been a great year for horror fans and I Know What You Did Last Summer jumps on that craze and will surely hit the sweet spot with modern audiences. Modern audiences might be a little confused with certain story elements and character arcs if they’ve not seen the original. That is where the problem lies. The balance is not quite there in terms of being a sequel and being something of a reboot. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt are standouts and the new cast each bring their own, but it isn’t enough to keep the film flowing through the twists and surprises. Luckily it just about entertains us.

Thanks for reading today’s blog!

Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions