To be completely transparent, I was never a big fan of the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. It just feels like a cheap knockoff and cash grab on the success of the first Scream movie. The movies in this series were popular enough to inspire movie producers to create a legacy sequel, which comes across as another cash grab, given the moderate success of the Scream legacy sequels. To its credit, the filmmakers behind this movie do an excellent job of recreating the feel of the original 90s movie, along with the needle drops and the tropes that come with this kind of movie. At the end of it all, the new installment doesn’t offer anything new or exciting, and plays out like another generic 90s slasher film.
Although writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-writer Sam Lansky have a great deal of love for the previous movies, they didn’t bring anything particularly exciting or different to elevate this franchise. The filmmakers attempt to utilize an unexpected twist to the story, but even this aspect falls short. This surprise makes no sense and renders the 2025 sequel another lackluster movie in an already weak franchise.
The movie follows a group of young, twenty-something adults who originated from Southport, the setting of the first film. After reuniting, these high school buddies get a bit intoxicated and irresponsibly cause the death of a local person. Much like the first film, they cover up their actions and pretend that it never happened. A year later, they reunite, but discover that there is a witness to their crime who begins to torment them incessantly. They soon realize that their lives are in danger and attempt to uncover the identity of this witness.
The premise itself is just a rehash of the first movie, and though the characters are more mature and should know better, they follow the same pattern. What follows is what one would expect from this franchise; however, character Ava Brooks (Chase Sui Wonders) feels compelled to investigate further, including the similarities to the incident that took place in the first movie. This motivation ties in with the original film, and while it makes sense, the filmmakers fail to follow through with a credible story that feels genuine to the original characters.
Overall, the new cast is fine, but none of these actors truly stand out, nor do they make a viable case for genuine empathy. When the big twist is revealed, it raises the question of why this character is so motivated to carry out this revenge tale. I Know What You Did Last Summer is an utterly weak movie, despite its minor thrills.