It tries to be smart, scary, and self-aware, but mostly ends up reminding me why some things should stay in the ’90s.
Well, I went in with low expectations, yet was still left disappointed….
Plot Summary of I Know What You Did Last Summer (Spoiler-Free)
So, the basic setup hasn’t changed much from the original. A group of ridiculously attractive people make a very bad decision, someone ends up dead, and instead of doing literally anything smart, they decide to cover it up.
This time, our main group of morally questionable party people includes Danica (played by Madelyn Cline), her new fiancé Wyatt (Joshua Orpin), her ex-fiancé Teddy (Tyriq Withers), and their close friends Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon).
They make a pit stop at Reaper’s Curve, yes, that’s actually the name, and after a tragic accident that, shocker, they try to cover up, someone starts sending creepy messages. Cue panic, guilt, and the appearance of a killer in a fisherman’s slicker with a giant hook.
Oh, and they call in some help from the OGs.
Enter Ray and Julie, played by our nostalgic favorites Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt. They’re older, wiser, and visibly exhausted from both their traumatic past and probably the script.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Well, it was not good. It wasn’t terrible in the way that makes something fun to hate-watch, but it wasn’t even close to being good enough to justify its own existence.
The opening was promising enough though, with a nice little nod to the past and some atmospheric shots, but very quickly, the film slides into utter mediocrity.
The new characters are all pretty bland, the kills are unimaginative, and the script can’t decide if it wants to be campy, clever, or serious horror, so it just kind of does none of those things well.
The pacing also drags, and somehow it manages to feel both rushed and slow, which is some doing. There are way too many lazy red herrings that lead nowhere, and by the end, the twist is so convoluted, I can imagine the film makers ended up just throwing darts at a board of plot ideas.
The new cast though, unfortunately, are just there. they all felt like they were reading lines from a horror movie starter pack. No one stands out, and worse, I didn’t really care who lived or died, and when the killer finally starts picking them off…Well, let’s just say i was rooting for him.
The best bit though was the return of Prinze Jr. and Hewitt, and while they don’t have much screen time, when they do show up, it’s like the everything suddenly wakes up, as they bring some much needed charm and depth to an otherwise shallow pool of characters.
The visuals are decent too, and it was a nice film to look at, but otherwise, most of the time, I was just rolling my eyes so hard, I think I saw my own brain.
There are some cameos, callbacks, and little fan-service moments sprinkled throughout too, which are fun if you were around for the original, but nostalgia alone can’t carry a movie. You need a story that works, characters that matter, and at least a few surprises you don’t see coming.
If you’re a diehard fan of the original, maybe you’ll get something out of this. Maybe.
But for everyone else, you’re better off just watching the original version again.
What I liked (And What I Didn’t like)
Pros
Return of Ray and Julie
Seeing Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt back in action was genuinely delightful. I wish the movie had been about them instead of the new cast.
Decent Cinematography
Visually, the film isn’t bad at all. The lighting, camera work, and setting are moody and well-composed. It looks polished, even if the substance underneath is lacking.
The Hook Man Still Looks Cool
That fisherman outfit and oversized hook still work. It’s iconic, it’s creepy, and when done right, it has potential. Sadly, it wasn’t used right most of the time, but the look still holds up.
Cons
Boring, Unlikable Main Characters
Every single one of the new characters felt like a cardboard cutout of a horror trope.
A Plot That Falls Apart
The story had potential, but it collapses under its own mess of red herrings, fake-outs, and twists that make less sense the more you think about them.
Weak Dialogue
Some of the lines felt like they were written by someone who read one screenwriting book and thought they were Tarantino. It’s clunky, forced, and often unintentionally funny.
Pacing Issues
This movie drags. You feel every minute of its nearly two-hour runtime. The middle act in particular just lumbers along, filled with filler scenes that don’t push the story forward.
Predictable Scares
There wasn’t a single scare that surprised me. You could see the setups from a mile away. The tension fizzles out fast when you know exactly when the killer’s going to pop up.
It Tries Too Hard to Be Something It’s Not
This movie tries to balance nostalgia, modern horror trends, and a little self-aware humor. But instead of blending those elements, it just kind of fails at all of them. It doesn’t know what it wants to be.
Who Might Like I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
- Hardcore fans of the original film
- Viewers looking for background noise with occasional blood
- Fans of the new cast from other shows/movies
- Nostalgia junkies with low expectations
Who Might Dislike I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
- Anyone hoping for a smart or fresh horror movie
- Fans of the original who don’t want to see it watered down
- People who care about strong character development
- If who hate predictable plot twists
- Anyone with better options on their watchlist
- Slasher fans who want inventive kills
- People with a low tolerance for dumb decisions in horror films
Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)?
Not really. I didn’t go in expecting brilliance, but I was hoping for at least some fun, but what I got was a lukewarm, confused film that leaned way too hard on nostalgia and forgot to be interesting in its own right.
I don’t think this movie will find much of a lasting audience. Maybe some diehard fans will appreciate it for the callbacks, but most people will likely forget it very quickly.
Rating: 4/10
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) Trailer
Simon Leasher
A lover of cinema for over 35 years, I have watched many films from around the world in many different genres, yet I still normally always come back to trashy slasher horror films when in doubt. More
And yes, The Godfather 2 is better than The Godfather.
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