‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ 4K UHD Digital (review)

Sony Pictures

It was only a matter of time before the endless churning of the legacy sequel mill would reach I Know What You Did Last Summer, and the outcome is a mixed bag containing the usual pitfalls of the legacy format with moments of entertainment value scattered throughout.

Narratively, the film starts as a retread of the plot of the original film, followed by the obligatory reintroduction of the original characters that survived the duo of 90s-set slashers because, as we know, whoever is willing to return to their roles from the 90s will be integral to providing the new characters with knowledge that will improve their chances of successfully navigating a slicker-clad killer slicing and dicing their way through these newcomers to punish them for their bad decisions.

From the get-go, the film fails to impress, as the circumstances of the initial what someone will confront the new roster of protagonists with the following summer plays out more vapid and nonsensical than in the original, which is saying something, as the original was not particularly clever either, in spite of those rose-tinted goggles of nostalgia tending to make us recollect movies as being better than they perhaps were in actuality.

However, once the film finds its footing a year after the instigating bad decision, there is a wry undercurrent of self-awareness that carries on throughout the middle of the film, making it a fun little slasher that delivers more graphic and elaborate kills than the original duo of films, all the while taking itself significantly less seriously than its predecessors.

The fan service is also abundant, which audiences will either relish or resent, however, there is a degree of wryness present, as the film leans into how some of the women of the franchise have enjoyed being celebrated as queer icons to various extents since starring in the original films in the 90s.

In terms of the performances, seeing Jennifer Love-Hewitt back on the big screen is a delight, as her presence has been missed by many, and the joy of having her back is only further underlined by how her now mature and assertive Julie James is a welcome development of her PTSD-ridden final girl of yesteryear.

The newcomers are largely forgettable, with a few standouts such as Chase Sui Wonders’ lead protagonist Ava being written with enough elbowroom to allow the actor to show her range, albeit the main scene stealer is Madelyn Cline’s Danica; starting off as a grating stereotype, her character grows on you like a rash until you will likely embrace her unapologetically sardonic take on a spoiled rich girl.

When the final twist is revealed, most viewers will likely have figured it out well in advance, but the bigger issue is that the ending ultimately feels oddly tacked on, adding to the film’s main problem, namely how it is a poorly edited miasma of both lazy as well as decent elements that struggle to stick to any specific tone, wanting to both scare its audience while also being a self-aware romp.

I Know What You Did Last Summer was never the best of the bunch when it comes to slasher horror from the 90s to begin with, and as such, meaning that this legacy installment is hardly anything to write home about, however, if you want a campy romp that retreads a 90s horror staple, this may just be what you have been waiting for.

Extras include Featurettes, Deleted & Extended Scenes, and Outtakes & Bloopers.

Verdict: 5 out of 10.