I'm caught in a perplexing conundrum regarding the so-called "requel" trend taking Hollywood by storm, especially in the realm of horror. On one hand, it's hard not to feel a rush of excitement seeing iconic titles like Halloween, Scream, and I Know What You Did Last Summer claw their way back onto the big screen, resurrecting beloved characters from their gory graves. However, on the flip side, if there’s no rich narrative underpinning this nostalgia, what’s the point of dusting off these relics?
Take the recent Halloween trilogy, for instance, where filmmakers boldly chose to ignore entire sequels, not to mention timelines, in a bid to humanize the infamous Michael Myers. They promised to explore the man behind the mask, only to end up tripling down on the supernatural elements that had been so potently unsettling in the original. As a dedicated horror aficionado, I find myself scratching my head in sheer bewilderment.
Then there's Scream's sequels, which sent a fan-favorite character six feet under, only to resurrect him (in possibly digital form, mind you) for the next installment. Seriously, what’s the rationale behind that? It’s as if studios are in a mad dash for nostalgia cash, and I get it—there's a thrill in revisiting our haunted pasts. Still, if you’re going to churn out sequels, for the love of all things terrifying, at least weave a solid story, lest you anger the very fanbase that holds these franchises close to their horror-loving hearts.
This brings me to the latest offering in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. No, I’m not referring to the 1997 horror classic—yes, classic, even if some so-called purists bristle at the mention. Instead, I’m casting my gaze toward the new iteration, also titled I Know What You Did Last Summer. It makes sense, right? Apparently, numbering movies confuses today’s audiences. Technically, it’s the fourth entry, but let’s be real here; that 2006 direct-to-video affair—I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer—was a cinematic dumpster fire we’d prefer to forget. So, let’s just call this flick the third.
In this new story, original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. return as Julie James and Ray Bronson, joined by a fresh crop of talent: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon. There’s even a curious cameo from Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers, appearing in some bizarre nightmare sequence, along with a nod to Brandy as Karla Wilson from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, teasing future frights in the credits.
Now, let's talk box office; this flick managed to haul in $64.8 million on an $18 million budget. Some might brand it a flop, others a sleeper hit. As for whether a sequel will make the cut, one can only wonder if there’s still an audience thirsty for more slash-happy terror.
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson takes the helm as director, co-writing the script with Sam Lansky, which is built on a story she conjured with Leah McKendrick. The plot is a classic slasher setup: Five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident and decide to bury their secret, making a pact to keep it under wraps rather than face the consequences. Fast forward a year, and their past comes back to haunt them; someone knows what they did last summer, and they are hell-bent on revenge. The friends quickly learn they aren’t the first victims in a long line of horror, turning to two survivors from the fabled Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.
Now available on 4K Ultra HD [*], Blu-ray [*], and DVD [*] from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, I Know What You Did Last Summer (Rated R; 111 minutes) serves up a plate of special features that include outtakes and bloopers, deleted and extended scenes, and a behind-the-scenes look titled "Return to Southport - The Cast." You can also catch it digitally on platforms like Prime Video, iTunes, and Google Play.
In full disclosure, I stumbled upon the reshoot rumors, and a crucial ending spoiler sat like a heavyweight in my mind as I watched. But fear not, I won’t ruin it for you. Watch and unravel the mystery for yourself. Personally, I didn’t mind the initial rehash that set up the “I Know” series of events; a splash of originality kept my attention. Though don't expect much screen time for the legacy characters, particularly Julie James, as Jennifer Love Hewitt is unfortunately sidelined. Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Ray has a pivotal role, but the writing feels jarring; it’s as if they had one hand in the script and the other on the reshoot button.
The new characters? Not a single one resonated with me, save for the delightfully snobby rich girl Danica, portrayed brilliantly by Madelyn Cline—she’s truly a scene-stealer. The direction leaned a little gray for me, possibly due to what seemed like studio interference wreaking havoc in the film's latter half. The kills? Forgettable at best; for horror aficionados, that’s a solid red flag. And let’s not even get started on the shameless mid-credit scene that dangles a sequel like a tasteless tease.
In the grand tapestry of horror, I Know What You Did Last Summer emerges as a mediocre whodunit thriller—mildly entertaining, yes, but ultimately failing to deliver the spine-chilling goods we crave. It's not atrocious, not horrific enough for the detractors to cry foul, but it's hovering in a delicate balance, one that leaves you yearning for a little more fright and a whole lot more clarity. ╌★★★✰✰
〜B.J. Burgess
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“The plot thickens… especially when you comment.” 〜B.J. Burgess