“I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)” Review: Trip Down Memory Lane That Delivers On The Horror – With A Catch

If you’ve lived longer than 20 years, you’ve probably heard of the recent “20-Year” or “30-Year” rule, when something that was mediocre then (that still managed to receive a cult following when it first came out) suddenly sees a massive resurgence or renewed interest today because of nostalgia, among other factors. The same is true for movies, as seen with the recent incarnation of “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and starring Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon, the film also features Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprising their roles and taking us back to the same old town with the same old serial killer.

Much like the original 1997 film, “I Know What You Did  Last Summer” 2025 follows another group of friends who are caught up in an accident, resulting in the death of a stranger. After failing to save the stranger, the group of friends form a pact to never speak of what happened again to avoid the consequences. Yet, despite this, their actions come back to haunt them a year later and they are now chased by the legendary serial killer, or at least an imitation of them. Realising this, the friends seek help from the two survivors of the original Southport Massacre of 1997.

Similar to how it revisits Southport after all these years, the film recreates a lot of the things we loved about the original. From the air of mystery that the OG is well known for, to the campy vibes it had all those years ago – this movie is an absolute treat for dedicated fans of the franchise (which includes “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” and “I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer“), but also serves as a nice starting-off point for those new to the series. If you are in the former camp, however, you will be incredibly rewarded for watching the previous entry, as there are tonnes of references for you to spot, and you might make your movie experience more enjoyable. 

The film kicks us off by introducing a tight group of friends who have essentially known each other for their entire lives – and are the central focus throughout its 1 hour and 51 minute runtime. Oftentimes, legacy sequels find it quite hard to break away from their predecessor’s shadow and it makes sense. Rather than running away from it or disregarding it, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025) doubles down and embraces it by reinventing itself just enough for it to still be refreshing, with enough similarities to make it still feel familiar. A key reason for this is the return of Prinze Jr. and Love Hewitt as Ray Bronson and Julie James, respectively, which creates a sense of continuity without making them the centre of attention.

One of the major positives of this movie is that it finds a way to bring the original cast back without making it feel like they are shoehorned in for the sake of nostalgia — they are an actual force in the story that actually progresses the plot. Of course, having had their time in the spotlight, Prinze Jr. and Love Hewitt take a step back to welcome the next generation of Southport residents. They support the main cast, which comprises Cline, Sui Wonders, Hauer-King, Withers and Pidgeon. As mentioned earlier, they create a convincing and realistic upper-class friend group that hooks you in so that you actually want them to survive this ordeal. They alone create a convincing sequel for the film as is, but with the reprisal of the original cast, it feels like it’s a passing-of-a-torch moment that you have to see if you’re a fan. 

Furthermore, when it comes to slashers, a lot of characters are randomly introduced to fill up the body count. Sometimes, there are instances of just being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and you can say the same for the previous entries. But “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025) feels more intimate and personal, as the kills focus more on the people that are close to the main cast instead of some passersby. Because of this, we get to know the cast far better, making it far more thrilling when the serial killer comes knocking down their door and gives the newer cast more story importance than the recurring ones.

However, the film is not perfect. One of the glaring faults is its story, particularly the ending. As the tale homes in on its conclusion, we are left wondering who is the man behind the slicker outfit? Though the crew do their best to unravel the killer’s identity, they never really do a good job compared to the original. Sure, there are hints, and it makes sense in the end, but they never seem significant enough, so much so that the big reveal feels forced and leaves us scratching our heads. To say this is a major blow — for a horror/mystery no less — would be a massive understatement. Additionally, the ending itself is also extremely contrived, as if the filmmakers are forcing a certain ending to occur rather than letting it happen naturally.

Another painful issue is that many argue that this entry is not as campy as its predecessor and therefore hurts the film in some way. You can make the argument that the original film was not made with the intention of being campy, but the fact that it was is what made it so iconic. Sure, the tone is far darker now, but it is also a prime candidate for the injection of some dark humour into the mix, which would have elevated it to being more than just a regular entry/continuation. This is mildly offset by the fact that the characters display massive amounts of character development that only the past entries could dream of. If there’s a follow-up to this franchise, we just hope it takes all the best aspects of its predecessors and uses them to create a thriller we won’t soon forget.

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” is a refreshing yet familiar return to Southport, complete with a brand new cast of characters with the same old killer. This refreshing entry sees it reimagining the franchise for younger fans while maintaining familiarity for more seasoned ones, and it does so with flying colours! However, it falters painfully at the end by not providing enough evidence to make the big reveal more convincing, while the conclusion itself feels extremely forced. Despite it all, it’s still an enjoyable film that deserves your attention.

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” is now in theatres.