‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Review – Sequel Delivers Slasher Fun But Remains Stuck in the Past

Time is a flat circle in the legacy sequel I Know What You Did Last Summer. Nearly three decades after an ill-fated accident led to tragedy, then murder, a new group of friends unwittingly stumble down the same path, awakening the Fisherman’s wrath once more. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge), who co-wrote with Sam Lansky, uses Southport’s latest slasher cycle to not quite re-write the past but rather honor the franchise’s legacy while updating it for modern audiences. Armed with a blood-thirstier killer, Robinson’s installment narrowly avoids the pitfalls of legacy sequels and their overreliance on trauma in favor of slasher fun.

Mirroring the 1997 original film, I Know What You Did Last Summer introduces a close-knit friend group of early 20-somethings who have returned to their hometown of Southport around the Fourth of July for the engagement party of Danica (Madelyn Cline) and Teddy (Tyriq Withers). The reunion resurfaces residual unresolved feelings, especially between protagonist Ava (Chase Sui Wonders) and Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), even as it feels like no time has passed among friends. So much so that they, along with old pal Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon), opt to revisit old times, taking a trip up Southport’s notoriously dangerous road for a perfect view of the fireworks, where they accidentally cause the death of another driver.

One year later, their attempts to move on get halted when they begin receiving ominous messages about their crime. Then the bodies start piling up.

There’s a warm familiarity to Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s vision, which plays the franchise’s greatest hits. Its history is woven into every facet, from the easter egg-laden set pieces to the formula itself. That means that it’s easy to get many steps ahead of the new cast as they try and piece together what’s happening, even before they enlist franchise returnees Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.) for help.

Despite the more robust cast this outing, the suspect list isn’t nearly as long or as complicated as IKWYDLS implies, with a few clumsy red herrings unable to distract from the most obvious candidates. Not only does the eventual and fairly obvious killer reveal come with a shrug, but it dangles fascinating commentary that the film is ultimately unwilling to engage with.

That’s the crux of IKWYDL; ideas get underserved in favor of the slasher mechanics and reverence toward the source material that inspired this reboot. Sometimes it works out for the better, like avoiding a heavy-handed return to trauma dumping when it comes to tenured survivors Julie and Ray, even when they’ve struggled in the decades since their rounds with the Fisherman. Sometimes it leaves plot threads woefully underserved, like the will-they-won’t-they romance between Ava and Milo or the theme of privilege versus working class. It’s the type of sequel that works harder to wedge in an admittedly cool bit of fan service, even if poorly explained, than pushing into new ground and risk breaking what worked about the original films.

Robinson instead toys around with the kill order and has a blast with a larger cast list of potential fodder. It’s easy to see the parallels between the original cast and the newcomers, like Danica as the next-gen Helen Shivers or Ava as the new Julie, and that’s where Robinson has the most fun shaking up expectations. It’s not always obvious who will live or die and in what order, made even trickier by Robinson dialing in on the franchise’s greatest asset: chase sequences. Instead of one stand-out chase sequence, this legacy sequel employs a number of them to bring the suspense and showcase the Fisherman’s much more savage temperament. It’s a sequel that goes bigger and bloodier when it comes to its kill count.

While the emphasis on slasher fun and chase set pieces means that we never really get to know the newcomers beyond their archetypical purpose, Robinson undoes a key issue that’s always bugged me about the original: the tragic inciting accident doesn’t completely shatter the core friendships. Guilt, remorse, and anger aplenty create fissures and downward spirals, of course, but core friendships become a life raft for these characters in an affecting way that instills rooting interest. It’s friendship that emerges as the emotional backbone, including a crucial mid-credit scene.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is stuck in the past, delivering a legacy sequel that comes closest to recapturing the look, tone, and feel of the original. But it also makes for a fairly predictable yet entertaining meat and potatoes slasher that steadfastly clings to its formula. The higher body count and a new cast of genuinely likable characters help introduce this legacy sequel to new audiences, but it’s one that’s best suited and tailor-made for the die-hard IKWYDLS fan.

I Know What You Did Last Summer releases in theaters on July 18, 2025.

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