I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. A Nightmare

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a classic horror franchise that began in the second half of the 1990s. A slasher is a subgenre of horror characterized by a plot in which a psychopathic killer stalks and murders a group of young people. A legacy sequel is a type of continuation of a production from years (decades) ago, in which a group of new characters typically meets those from the original as part of a story that strongly references the original. This year’s film by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is all of the above.

And as all of the above — it fails. The film’s plot takes place several decades after the events of the original 1997 movie. We return to the town of Southport and meet a new generation of characters who, on the iconic curve on the hill, also cause a car accident and decide to cover up their crime — only to encounter the vengeful fisherman one year later. And so, although the film is technically a sequel, it’s hard not to feel like we’re watching a remake or, at best, a reboot.

It has a nearly identical plot, a similar set of characters, and several returning, recognizable motifs. Unfortunately, it lacks elements that could bring a bit of freshness to the concept. The script does introduce a few interesting threads, such as a critique of the privileged lifestyles of wealthy kids or the role of developers in shaping the lives of local communities, but these themes are not explored in an engaging way. What also doesn’t help is that — unlike in the original — the main characters are remarkably unlikeable, their individual storylines fail to engage, and the screenwriters can’t seem to decide until the very end whether the film’s main protagonist is the character played by Madelyn Cline or the one played by Chase Sui Wonders.

It’s hard to root for them, and the viewer is left indifferent to their fate. In fact, I feel that the most interesting character turns out to be the bisexual true crime podcaster, a fan of the original Southport case, proudly wearing a T-shirt with Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character, played by American model and musician Gabbriette. A minor character who appears and disappears quickly — but who could have been a far more compelling protagonist. And so, when the filmmakers start killing off our protagonists, it’s hard to care. Especially since Jennifer Kaytin Robinson simply lacks slasher sensibility. She can’t build tension, and the violent scenes are either dull or excessively graphic. The new I Know What You Did Last Summer thus fails at its most basic task. The original cast also brings no joy. Their inclusion in the plot is clumsy at best — cringeworthy at worst.

Their connection to the main storyline feels forced. One might even get the impression that these roles were written into an already completed remake script. Especially in the case of Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who barely interacts with the other characters. So when the franchise veterans take center stage at the end of the film, everything veers into pure absurdity. (For those interested, I leave the final paragraph, which serves as an invitation to a festival of spoilers that, in my review, may save other fans of the original from the embarrassment of watching this year’s installment.

) The new I Know What You Did Last Summer is a tedious and grotesque experience for fans of the original. Confusing and unappealing for those unfamiliar with it and simply expecting a good slasher. Lacking interesting characters, filled with embarrassing twists, and utterly devoid of any clear direction. Skip it. Spoilers As I already mentioned, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s character doesn’t seem to know what she was doing on set, as she appears in literally 3–4 scenes.

Still, that’s a better fate than what the screenwriters had in store for Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.). In a blatant betrayal of his character, he turns out to be (sic!) the film’s main killer. We also get an absurdly stupid cameo from Sarah Michelle Gellar, who appears to one of the characters in a dream sequence. And for dessert, in a post-credits scene, we unexpectedly return to… Brandy Norwood, aka Karla from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which makes about as much sense as the rest of this film.