I Know What You Did Last Summer

by Mike McGranaghan

I Know What You Did Last Summer is one of the quintessential horror movies of the ‘90s, not because of quality but because it was part of that moment when a whole crop of young stars established themselves on FOX and the then-new CW network, and Hollywood used their popularity to revive the slasher genre. I distinctly recall the day I saw the picture, thinking it was dumb fun. Good looking stars, gnarly kills…that was enough to satisfy me. This is pretty much how I feel about the legacy sequel, also called I Know What You Did Last Summer. It hits that sweet spot of nostalgia.

Five friends – Danica (Madelyn Cline), Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), Teddy (Tyriq Withers), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon) – are reunited in the seaside town of Southport. While goofing around in the middle of the road late one night, they accidentally cause a car accident that takes a young man’s life. Everyone agrees not to report their involvement in the crash. A year later, they all return for Danica’s bridal shower, only to find themselves stalked by a murderous figure in a fisherman’s slicker who carries a hook in his hand.

That should sound awfully familiar to anybody who has seen the original. Since this is indeed a legacy sequel, familiar faces need to return, and they do. Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) owns a bar in Southport; he quickly realizes his own past is essentially being recreated. We also get to see Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), now a college professor Ava turns to for help, given that she’s been on the whole “final girl” track before.

I Know What You Did Last Summer recreates much of the ’97 film’s simple appeal. The young cast members are appealing, especially Cline, who turns Danica into a humorously narcissistic character without ever letting her become obnoxious. As for the kills, they absolutely do the trick. Hooks and harpoons are common murder weapons, and blood flows freely in the many death scenes. A nice touch is having the group fight back when attacked. Teddy even goes to the gym so he’ll be ready to rumble upon coming face to face with the fisherman.

The element that most elevates the movie, however, is what it does with Ray and Julie. They’re not here for cheesy cameos. Both have significant functions in the plot, and it’s interesting to see how their relationship has changed in the past twenty-eight years. Watching Prinze and Hewitt together again onscreen is a treat.

The plots of slasher movies are often dumb, which is the case here, too. It’s all fairly contrived and more than a little silly in spots. That said, those qualities are baked into the genre, so of course we expect them. To not have contrivances and silliness would be like a faith-based film with no religious message. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson keeps the pace brisk and the visuals stylish, making it easy to surrender to the tropes.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is very much designed to please fans. That includes two scenes, one of which is in the end credits, designed to make them lose their minds. Legacy sequels can come off as pandering. This movie is very open about what it is though, and if you want to recapture that late-‘90s vibe, you'll have a bloody good time.

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