Movie Review: “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025)

I Know What You Did Last Summer Movie Review

Written by Stuart D. Monroe

Released by Sony Pictures

Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Sam Lansky, and Leah McKendrick

2025, 111 minutes, Rated R

Released on July 18th, 2025

Starring:

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James

Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson

Chase Sui Wonders as Ava Brucks

Madelyn Cline as Danica Richards

Sarah Pidgeon as Stevie Ward

Jonah Hauer-King as Milo Griffin

Tyriq Withers as Teddy Spencer

Billy Campbell as Grant Spencer

Austin Nichols as Pastor Judah

Review:

This is one of those reviews where I’m going to have you give you the obligatory little confession before I dive in: I’m not a huge fan of the original films in the series. That’s NOT to say I hate them by any stretch of the imagination; I simply like my horror either a little more cerebral / psychological or a hell of a lot gorier. There’s a decent amount of horror from the ‘90s that just didn’t fit the bill for me, but I believe that particular subject has been talked to death (pun intended) in the horror community.

In this sequel with the same name as the original, a new group of kids in Southport, NC gets up to some stupidity after the engagement party of Danica (Madelyn Cline; Outer Banks) and an innocent dude ends up dead after his truck plunges over the edge of a very high cliff and into the sea below. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Yes, it’s a legacy sequel to be sure…but it’s still pretty basic. I can’t overexplain the plot as there is nothing to overexplain.

Lest you think that I’m about to bash this film into the ground, let me say that I actually had a damn good time in a packed screening with a very lively audience. While that in no way guarantees a good flick, it does help you to appreciate what said flick does right. And I Know What You Did Last Summer does plenty right even if it doesn’t tread any new ground or open a new branch of mythology. That’s fine, too- you don’t always have to be novel, fiercely original, or daringly bold. Sometimes an entertaining slasher flick is all you need, and I Know What You Did Last Summer is at the very least entertaining and fun.

The gore is definitely up from the original two films but not in such a major way that you’ll stand back and say, “Wow. They really changed the game there!”. There’s a note of whodunnit that runs through this entry in the series, and while that isn’t entirely new it is driven more to the front of this film with the introductions of O.G.’s Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.; She’s All That) and Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt; Ghost Whisperer). There’s a bonafide mystery afoot here, and writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson; Do Revenge) tries gamely to dig into it and make it more than just a simple slasher. I applaud the effort. There’s also some toes dipped into the water of social commentary about gentrification and the 1% abusing their power, but it isn’t explored deeply enough to make it have any real heft.

What really caught me off-guard (and maybe I’m misremembering the original and its sequel) is the sense of humor that keeps bubbling up in I Know What You Did Last Summer. There is a hint of Scream’s cheeky self-referentialism, but this flick is looking to make you laugh at some key moments. I enjoy the hell out of that. Horror can be outright goofy and still make the scares work when you strike the right balance. While this iteration didn’t stick every landing, many of the jokes landed better than expected. And don’t try to tell me that Prinze and Hewitt weren’t hamming it up in what is an already ham-fisted, deeply formulaic slasher that just wants to have some fun (while opening up the door for another sequel).

I wanted to see a lot more of the horny, horror-obsessed podcaster that stole every scene she was in, played by Gabbriette Bechtel. So much interesting potential thrown away on ad admittedly fun kill. Also, there are a couple of good surprises to be had in the hour and fifty-one minutes of nostalgia overload and a few noticeable easter eggs sprinkled in the background. The moral of the story for this unnecessary return to the world of The Fisherman? Don’t try to make I Know What You Did Last Summer into elevated horror…you can’t polish a turd. Instead, appreciate the turd for its surprising odor, colorful toppings, and overall nostalgic appearance.

After all, we were all kids once…and there’s very little funnier to your inner child (okay, maybe it’s just me) than an unpolished turd that’s trying really hard to be a polished turd. Shit is funny, ya’ dig?

Grade:

3.0 out of 5.0 stars