I Know What You Did Last Summer is a franchise I have nostalgia for, but, admittedly, it does not have the strongest story. It managed to squeeze out two sequels, with the third one putting the franchise to rest for 15 years. There was also the canceled 2021 I Know What You Did Last Summer series, which I have not seen. Unsurprisingly, the story has been remade again in a time where we get a remake or legacy sequel quarterly.
I rewatched the original film right before heading to the theater, which resolidified my nostalgic love for it. Although my expectations were low going into this one, because the third movie left a bad taste in my mouth. I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) surpassed my expectations in many ways. The kills are amped up, Julie James has a bit more attitude, and there’s more comedy than I expected.
Have We Been Here Before?
This installment is worth watching, but the story has questionable choices (much like the first movie). Ultimately, if you can suspend your disbelief, you’ll be in for an enjoyable ride. We generally follow the story from the original movie/book, although their ages are increased by a few years. A group of young adults is involved in an accident and bury it, but someone knows their secrets and is hunting them down a year after the incident. There are some tweaks to the friend group, the nature of the incident, and how the group responds to their situation.
This go-round, the audience is introduced to a fresh set of characters that are seemingly unrelated to those in the original. They simply are from Southport. The dynamics are changed with a couple on the verge of tying the knot, a former couple on the outs, and a fifth wheel who joined them by chance. This changes some of the interactions later in the movie and presents the audience with a wild reveal. The crew is still comprised of mostly wealthy kids, but one is working class. We spend more time with the characters, especially getting to see them work together, so it is easier to care about them.
IKWYDLS: The New Class
Ava Brucks (Chase Sui Wonders) is more interesting to follow than the OG Julie James. She hooks up with strangers in bathrooms, and she’s not afraid to catch a body in self-defense. Her best friend Danica (Madelyn Cline) provides comedic relief throughout, which is hit or miss. Teddy (Tyriq Withers) is the resident jerk in the friend group, and he plays that role well. He has more warmth to him than Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe) from the 1997 version. Milo (Jonah Hauer-King) doesn’t have as much to do in comparison to the rest of the cast. Stevie’s character (Sarah Pidgeon) was an interesting addition, but expected. There has to be a working-class person in the friend group who cannot afford a scandal.
The actors did well with what they were given. However, the dialogue dimmed the light of the performances. The chase and kill scenes were GREAT, and I felt the characters’ fear through the screen. That being said, I’m not sure if the original characters HAD to be included. I’m sure Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt brought in a crowd, but the story could have gone on without them.
Will It Hook You?
I would have loved to see these new kids involved in something more egregious. The incident was slightly toned down, and the characters reacted differently than they typically do in this franchise. While I thought the core group had more depth, their situation made the guilt less definite. There is an added layer of politics with Grant Spencer (Billy Campbell), who is willing to do everything in his power to keep Southport gentrified. We see more police involvement, although the cops are mostly useless. Some scenes felt similar to Jaws, and that was something I wasn’t expecting. Speaking of which, I wasn’t expecting a nearly two-hour runtime! The movie could have cut about ten minutes of gaslighting alone. There is also a questionable dream sequence that started off promising, but ended with me cringing.
I love that many of the death scenes involve chases and characters who are fighting for their lives. I Know What You Did Last Summer gave me more blood than I thought I would get, and I’m grateful. It took the ingredients from the Helen Shivers scene in 1997 and repurposed them into new delectable deaths. Our new villain does more than “hook” the victims. I was in love with the kills, but underwhelmed by the killer reveal. If you cherish the original, this movie might piss you off. If you enjoyed it for what it was (a child of Scream), then there is plenty of fun to be had. I will definitely watch this again, and I’d give it 3 bloody hooks out of 5.
