by Rosa Parra
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” is the third entry in the franchise. Opening with a similar plot to the original, this installment brings back the two sole survivors from the first movie and contextualizes their roles. The new group of youngsters must face their harsh reality after a life-changing event occurred on July 4th of the previous summer. Will they manage to survive a killer who is after them, guided by those who have faced a similar circumstance? Let me tell you.
Directed and co-written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the film stars Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Jonah Hauer-King, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Freddie Prinze Jr.
The film opens almost identically to the original. A group of friends take a drive and witness an accident on the road that will come back to haunt them. However, this time, they have an advantage. They seek advice from those who experienced the same situation back in 1997. The new cast is solid; I only recognized one actor, who played Prince Eric in the live-action “Little Mermaid,” but other than him, I was unfamiliar with the rest. They all did a decent job portraying their lifelong friendships. This entry fits seamlessly into the franchise. It takes cues from its two predecessors in terms of tone, premise involving young people making foolish decisions, and has just the right amount of callbacks. This movie also includes a few more moments of levity, with dialogue and references that are modern and primarily aimed at Gen Z. As a millennial, I felt a stronger connection to the original cast and their bewildered reactions to the new group.
I didn’t grow up watching the original movies, but I recently watched them in preparation for this installment. I believe that having seen the previous two films is helpful for understanding the references within this movie. Some iconic one-liners are much more satisfying with context. Love-Hewitt was fantastic as the returning Julie. I was initially concerned about how her character would be utilized, thinking she might only make a brief cameo. Fortunately, I was wrong. She had more than just a cameo, and I was impressed by the creativity behind her character’s involvement. Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray was also great; he, too, had more than a simple cameo, which I appreciated.
The identity of the killer was a surprising reveal. I’ve seen enough movies to usually have an inkling about who the killer is, but this film managed to surprise me. I give credit where it’s due. The killings were a mix of inventive gruesomeness with occasional callbacks to deaths in the previous two films. As a woman who approaches every movie with a female perspective, I found it notable that a woman directed and co-wrote this film. There were some scenes that were less explicit and objectifying compared to the earlier installments, and I appreciated this approach. The female characters are portrayed as complex individuals.
While the dialogue left a lot to be desired, I wasn’t expecting to watch the next Best Picture Oscar winner. This is simply a fun slasher film that delivers on its promise.
Make sure to stay for the mid-credit scene—it had me screaming with excitement as it unfolded!
Overall, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is a solid summer slasher movie. It’s a perfect sequel that meets the expectations of its genre. Based solely on the mid-credit scene, I cannot wait to see what they have in store next! This entry will certainly hook you to the franchise.
Rating: 7/10