I Know What You Did Last Summer movie review: A slasher sequel that can't escape its past

Indian Express

18-07-2025

I Know What You Did Last Summer movie review: Clearly the men and women behind this slasher flick didn't think ahead. For, before this franchise ran out of steam, it ran out of words to add to its title. So you had I Know What You Did Last Summer, 1997; I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, 1998; and a straight-to-video sequel in 2006 that didn't feature the original's characters, I Will Always Know What You Did Last Summer.
What comes after 'Always', and a TV series adaptation? This film, where 28 years after the 1997 serial killings, we are back to where – and how – it all started. In Southport. With a road incident leading to a death. And with a group of teenagers who look very, very groomed before they end up very, very dead.
For old time's sake, Prinze Jr and Hewitt reprise their roles (even Sarah Geller gets a cameo), as the wizened survivors of the first film, here to offer their advice to their counterparts – for whatever it's worth, given that this is a killer who doesn't show mercy, explanation, face or discernment in either victims or weapons (but mostly a hook).
Cline, Wonders, Hauer-King and Pidgeon have all done notable work in different TV series, but are not really required to do much here. If they actually were, a film of this kind probably would not survive the cold light of logic.
Their characters along with Withers's Terry were involved last summer in a car accident caused more by silliness than any real malice. A year later, Cline who plays 'Croaker Queen' Danica has moved on from rich fiance Terry to another rich fiance. The new one is dispensed with by the killer quickly enough to not matter, though he dies in a manner that is the most blood-curdling (the film never comes close to that again).
Back in Southport, Danica and Terry's friends-of-that-night Ava (Wonders), Milo (Hauer-King) and Stevie (Pidgeon) find themselves being haunted by the killer, who is out for revenge. Guessing who dies first, in what sequence, and who does not, may keep you hooked – no pun intended. Though clearly the killer hasn't spent much thought on planning, given how many times the victims fight back and get away.
For the new audiences, there are some references to new-age therapy, particularly that provided by a 'claircognizant empath'.
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And then there is an interesting true crime podcaster, who is determined to peel the bandaid off the 1997 grisly killings, which could be bad for business for the now gentrified and tourist-friendly Southport. Rushing headlong into forbidden territory, she is just the kind of crazy this film needs.
And not the cloaked, hooded crazy it would have us fear, who hasn't improvised in nearly 30 summers.
I Know What You Did Last Summer movie director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
I Know What You Did Last Summer movie cast: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Freddie Prinze Jr, Jennifer Love Hewitt
I Know What You Did Last Summer movie rating: 1.5 stars