Ava (Chase Sui Wonders) returns to Southport for the celebration of her best friend Danica’s (Madelyn Cline) upcoming wedding to Teddy (Tyriq Withers). Nervous about seeing her ex-boyfriend Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), Ava reconnects with her old friends and tries to build bridges with Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon), who has become estranged from the group. When they take a drive to watch the 4th of July fireworks, tragedy strikes and the five friends inadvertently kill someone. Agreeing to never speak about it again, and with Teddy’s father Grant (Billy Campbell) agreeing to cover it up, the friends drift apart. A year later, the group is pulled back together for Danica’s bridal shower, and a mysterious note is the beginning of a campaign of terror against the friends.
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ is the latest horror franchise to get a legacy sequel. The original 1997 film, which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe, went on to be a box office hit in the wake of the horror resurgence following ‘Scream’ (both films were written by Kevin Williamson). 1998 sequel ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ was a moderate hit and the franchise continued with the standalone low-budget “I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer’ in 2006, which went straight to video. Following a one season and cancelled TV series on Prime Video, which retold the original story from Lois Duncan’s book, the source material for the films, it looked like the franchise was beyond resurrection.
Given that ‘Halloween’ and ‘Scream’ have both enjoyed success at the box office with legacy sequels, the time is ripe for ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ to try its hand. With director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson at the helm, the film is as much a loving homage to the original film and its sequel, as it is a legacy sequel. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are back as Julie James and Ray Bronson respectively, but like Neve Campbell in 2022’s ‘Scream’ they are mostly relegated to extended cameos. The main focus is on the young new cast as a familiar chain of events unfolds. The similarities to the original film, particular in the film’s first half hour, are intentional. From the opening credits, which recreate those of the original, through to the central group covering up a murder (this time they don’t hit anyone with their car, but they do cause someone to plunge to their death), fans of the original fans will revel in the nostalgia on display.
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ is absolutely packed with Easter Eggs related to the first and second films in the franchise, and it delivers some surprises along the way (including a squeal-inducing mid-credits sequence that sets things up for a sequel). The Fisherman who terrorises the group is more violent than ever before, and the kills are inventive and entertaining. The central characters aren’t as naïve as the original bunch, with the film often putting its tongue firmly in its cheek and never taking itself too seriously. The third act reveal will prove to be incredibly divisive to fans. Honestly, I’m not sure what to make of it and it did hamper my enjoyment of the film slightly, but you’ve got to give credit to Robinson for taking a big swing.
The main cast all impress, even if their characters don’t get a lot of fleshing out. Of the bunch Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders shine the brightest. Cline plays more to the comedy side of her character, whereas Sui Wonders feels like the natural successor to Julie James. Tyriq Withers’ Teddy is a wealthier version of Phillippe’s Barry from the original film while Jonah Hauer-King’s Milo will inevitably draw comparisons to Prinze Jr. It’s a thrill to see Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprising their characters, even if they don’t get a whole lot to do and their time together is very minimal. I could have done without model and singer Gabbriette Bechtel as a true crime podcaster, as her acting was fairly wooden and jarring compared to the rest of the cast.
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ doesn’t quite stick the landing but there’s plenty about it that I enjoyed. As a fan of the original, I enjoyed the way it plays on nostalgia and there are some genuinely delightful surprises. The tension notches up as the film progresses and the pacing is quick, and it didn’t bother me too much that it’s all a bit silly. I need to think about the ending a bit more, and maybe see the film again, to figure out what I feel about it but regardless, it’s fun to be back in Southport once again.
Cast: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson Writers: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Sam Lanksy & Leah McKendrick Certificate: 15 Duration: 111 mins Released by: Sony Pictures Release date: 18th July 2025
