‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’s’ New Cast Saves its Most Redundant Aspects

We probably need to start grading these legacy sequels on a curve. Are they good? Are they bad? Or are they just society’s need for nostalgia? Probably the latter. And, as such, we should grade them on how they bring us back to the original’s themes and atmosphere while upgrading them for new audiences. I think going into any of these: “Scream,” “Halloween,” “Final Destination,” and now “I Know What You Did Last Summer” expecting anything else is to set oneself up for disappointment. 

The problem with these remakes is, even though the originals were faulty (aside the near-perfect “Scream”) they had imperative. Figuring out who the killer(s) were in “Scream” felt authentic. The airplane premonition at the beginning of “Final Destination” felt scary and adrenaline-inducing. And at the beginning of 1997’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” when a group of teens hit a person crossing the road and discuss the ramifications of going to the police, it felt life-altering. Kids would think like this, after all, that a mistake could ruin your entire life. 

Rules of Legacy Sequels

But then the sequels come, and now, the legacy sequels. And they have rules their makers must follow. A “Scream” film must have a whodunnit pair of killers. A “Final Destination” film must have a premonition of an awful tragedy and then death stalking its survivors. And an “I Know What You Did Last Summer” film, likewise, must have a bunch of kids doing something they shouldn’t have done, and then get stalked by a person—or persons—with a fishing hook. But by sticking to this story, it feels like the filmmakers let the story write the script for them. It takes all the urgency and imperative out of the film before it begins. Filmmakers are forced into a setup that’s never as impressive as the series opener, along with twist endings that lose their impact because you’re expecting them. I wonder, naively, why none of the film’s writers think to ever do it a different way. 

All of this said, however, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” 2025 is not unenjoyable. It features a likable cast. I’d actually make the case they’re even more likable than that of the 1997 film. The original cast seemed plucked out of the ‘90s films and TV series that ran the day. I think part of the workability of these new actors and actresses is that with all the streaming services we have modernly, they seem less familiar. They also all seem like the types of people who would be in these roles. They embody characters who are rich, not actors trying to act like they’re rich. The setting is once again Southport—a real oceanside place—and those who live there would be wealthy. The actors play them in a fun way. They have camaraderie and angst, but are nice people. And this time, without the necessity of setting up the rich ones apart from the working class—as was done with Ray’s (Freddie Prinze Jr.) character in Part 1—it flows more naturally. 

A Fun New Cast

The plot of the film follows the first one more or less redundantly. Following an engagement party for their friend Danica (Madelyn Cline), friends Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), Teddy (Tyriq Withers), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon) cause an accident that leads to a car swerving off the road and plummeting off the bluffs to the ocean below. Assuming the person dead, the group decide (with only Ava protesting) that they should keep this to themselves. It follows the original very closely, which takes away form the fear of it all. It also doesn’t seem as urgent this time. What Danica, Ava, and friends do to cause the accident is really milquetoast. It’s nowhere near as bad as the drunken driving frenzy that caused the same in the 1997 original. 

Shortly thereafter (a year later), Danica gets a letter—I Know What You Did Last Summer—and people start dying at the hands of someone seeking revenge. 

The good aspects of “Last Summer” are its scenery (beautiful Southport once again turned tragic) and the camaraderie between the cast, which is authentic. Some dramatic effects take place between them, but they never get carried away. The tragedy binds them—once people start dying—and they come together. It’s not like 1997 where Barry (Ryan Phillippe) basically threatens Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) if she doesn’t stay quiet. It was a nice change. My favorites here were Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders—who are set as the film’s stars—but the guys are likable too. They do the right thing when it counts and when tragedy befalls them, we care. 

Legacy Elements Dent the Film

Its also nice this time to see a believable reason the police ignore the cries of the kids being stalked by a fisherman with a hook. A real estate developer (Billy Campbell) has hidden what happened in 1997 to convince people the town is safe, and the cops are in his pocket. It was more credible than the Barney Fife-type police who ignored the kids due to plot demands in the first. 

Regrettably, what doesn’t work about the film is the fact that most of the horrors take place in plain sight and the inclusion of members of the legacy cast. Since the whole town knows something is wrong (they even hold a town hall at one point where the killer is mentioned), it takes a lot of the fright away. The deaths are gruesome, but not too gruesome for 2025. The killer this time also uses a speargun in addition to a hook, which was a creepy addition. The film throws in many homages (the ‘Shivers’ store from the first its most iconic) without becoming overburdened by them. 

Fun If You Like the Original

However, the solid first half loses something as it nears the hour mark. This is especially when introducing both Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt). They seem hamstrung into the plot. They play integrally into it (saving spoilers), but I felt the film would have been better relying on the new cast. “Last Summer” feels like it’s own film, and was better for it. And as the plot descends into a redux of every “Scream” sequel, it takes away from what could have been. I’m sure the writers felt their twist would hit harder, but it dents the film and makes it silly. This is especially after they worked so hard at the film’s beginning—particularly the car accident scene—to subvert our expectations. 

All-in-all, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is not bad. The ending is bad—not the final scene, I liked that—and the writing is questionable at times. Plots are introduced and abandoned, the killer is knighted with the usual superhuman quality even when it appears a protagonist is winning the fight, and the film offers too many red herrings to try and conceal its 11th hour reveal. I can imagine a simpler film, one where the killer is just a psychopath none of the characters know, where this movie could have been earnestly scary. But like I said, maybe we should grade these movies on a curve. If you liked the original, you’ll probably like this one. It’s much better than the 1998 sequel and is refreshing in its characterization. Just don’t go in expecting too much.