I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
Starring: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, Austin Nichols, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Jennifer Love Hewitt
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
BODE
It’s well known that the original I Know What You Did Last Summer was rushed into production in an attempt to capitalize on the success of Scream. So, it’s fitting that after the latter franchise got a 2020s revival, Sony would try and see if the same could happen for the former. After seeing the new “requel,” I’d say it wasn’t worth the effort. There isn’t much in the way of tension or memorable kills, and because it’s so workmanlike in execution, its attempts at metatextual commentary (not present back in 1997) fall flat. All in all, this is a pretty unsuccessful legacy sequel.
AMARÚ
As much as I like Chase Sui Wonders (who deserved a Studio Emmy nomination as much as anyone), the exposition-heavy script for this “requel” did no favors for her, the new crew, or the returning legacy characters. This is a shame because there was fun to be had throughout but every time a nuanced story element gave balance to the nostalgia, horrible editing and dumb character decisions would kill any momentum that the fresh takes would build. There was potential in the self-aware nature that director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson tried to portray, but she wasn’t aware enough to leave the 90s slasher stupidity in the past.
ROBERT
No matter how you showcased the “requel” template, the expectations were low for I Know What You Did Last Summer. Even so, the only kernels of joy gleaned from my viewing were nods to the 1997 original and its direct sequel. Unlike something like Scream (2022), I didn’t care about the new group of teenagers despite my preconceived opinions on the actors. There were some messages in the violence about the role of trauma in changing who a person becomes and the negative effects of gentrification on a community, but they didn’t prove meaningful. Like the movie in general, it all ended up feeling half-baked.
KATIE
I enjoyed I Know What You Did Last Summer far more than I expected. It’s slick, stylish, and campy whilst taking itself just seriously enough, and although it's heavy on the nostalgia, I think that’s fitting for a film that only exists because of another’s success. I actually liked this a lot more than the latest installments in the Scream franchise and thought the cast was much better. The script isn't always great, but Chase Sui Wonders and Madelyn Cline in particular elevate everything through their performances and they are what make it so enjoyable.
