In the reboot-sequel of I Know What You Did Last Summer, a group of hot 20-somethings force us to remember what happened in the OG as they are mercilessly butchered by a murderous fisherman.
Personally, I only really recall Jennifer Love-Hewitt looking fine as hell as she screams at the sky. But that’s a good memory.
Love-Hewitt is back in a supporting “mentor” role and, unlike Neve Campbell in the Scream “requel,” she proves to be completely useless to the point where she confronts the killer without even bothering to bring a knife to a fish hook fight. Freddie Prinze Jr. is back and while he gets more to do also reminds us why his big screen career fizzled in the first place.
The good news: this new I Know What You Did Last Summer defies the odds and is downright entertaining. A sequel more than a reboot, it introduces us to a sexy and talented young cast who flaunt their way from one murder scene to the next. Chase Sui Wonders makes for a great lead, looking all fine herself but more importantly giving an emotionally invested performance in a don’t-think-too-hard-about-it slasher. Madelyne Cline also owns her role, flashing as much cleavage as Sydney Sweeney while chewing up scenery left and right.
The movie itself is good, not great, but it seems content with that. The kills spill some blood but fall short of memorable (seriously, had writer/director Jennifer Kayton Robinson tried a little harder with the kill scenes, this movie could have been rock solid). The pace is good but not incredible—it takes a while to get going. The killer’s big reveal isn’t entirely convincing, but oh well. Through it all, Robinson pushes ahead, glossing over plot holes and silly moments with sufficient momentum to make none of the flaws really matter.
A little more blood and some more skin would have gone a long way, but even as is, I Know What You Did Last Summer is a surprisingly effective summer slasher that hooks you, lures you in, and then seeks to filet you for dinner.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.
