‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Review: A Solid Revival of a Cult Classic Slasher

Hollywood’s horror vault has been cracked wide open, and at this point, no franchise stays buried for long. We’re in the midst of a reboot renaissance, where every blockbuster hit from decades past is being revived and reintroduced to a new generation. Scream is six films in with a seventh on the way, while Final Destination made its way back into cinemas 13 years after its last instalment. So, when the teaser for the latest iteration of I Know What You Did Last Summer (IKWYDLS) dropped, it begged the all-too-familiar question: does it actually hold up?

The odds weren’t exactly in its favour. Horror remakes often flop on arrival, only to be reattempted again years later—and IKWYDLS is no stranger to that cycle. While the 1997 original quickly became a cult classic, its sequels were critically panned and widely seen as diminishing returns. A 2021 TV series on Prime Video sought to breathe new life into the franchise but was cancelled after one season due to lukewarm reception. Now, the 2025 version is stepping in to prove there’s still unfinished business. 

PLOT

The film sticks closely to the bones of a classic slasher. Like its 1997 predecessor, the story follows a close-knit group of friends who, after a night of partying, accidentally cause a fatal crash. In a moment of panic, they make a pact to pretend they were never at the crime scene. One year later, the past comes back swinging, and they become targets in a string of murders eerily reminiscent of the ‘97 massacre.

Behind the bloodshed lurks a familiar ghost (or rather, a familiar hood) from Southport’s past. Enter the Fisherman: back with a new identity and an even deadlier thirst for vengeance. This time around, he’s wielding both the iconic fish hook and a harpoon gun, a vicious upgrade that fuels some of the most inventive and satisfyingly gruesome kills.

We’ve seen enough horror flicks try to out-meta each other with ironic dialogue and fourth-wall nudges. IKWYDLS plays it straighter, and honestly, that’s where it thrives. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson understands the assignment. The pacing is tight, the tension builds steadily, and the kills are spaced out just enough to keep you watching through your fingers. She’s also not afraid to take out the characters you least expect, making it clear that everyone is fair game. 

It’s self-aware without tipping into parody, and dramatic without losing its bite. There’s a nostalgic sheen that threads through the chaos, giving longtime fans something to chew on while welcoming newer audiences into the fold.

Beneath the surface, IKWYDLS tries to wade into deeper waters. A growing conspiracy suggests that the town’s traumatic history, dating back 28 years, has been quietly swept under the rug to protect rising property values and a booming tourism industry. It’s an intriguing angle, brushing up against themes of class, gentrification, and collective denial.

With that being said, it never fully commits. The restraint might be expected from a genre that favours blood over backstory, but a little more depth could’ve made some kills land harder in both meaning and gore.

CHARACTERS

FRESH FACES

Ava Brucks is no damsel in distress, and Chase Sui Wonders makes sure of it. Guilt is her driving force: she’s the only one who wanted to help after the accident while her friends scramble to cover their tracks. But don’t mistake remorse for weakness. Like many scream queens before her, she’s hardened around the edges from being relentlessly stalked. There’s a lingering question: what if things had gone differently that night? Wonders threads that conscience through her performance, letting Ava’s steady façade gradually crack as suspicion builds and paranoia closes in.

However, the script doesn’t always rise to meet her. Despite her ample screen time, Ava remains frustratingly one-note, with little effort made to unpack her inner turmoil. It’s not a fault of Wonders, who brings as much depth as she can, but a missed opportunity in the writing that leaves our lead feeling underdeveloped. Had the film given her story more room to breathe, we might’ve walked away with a new horror heroine worth remembering.

In fact, this is where most of the cast falters. Teddy (Tyriq Withers) and Milo (Jonah Hauer-King) both hint at being more than just privileged rich kids, but neither gets the development to prove it. The latter is also reduced to a single trait: being Ava’s ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon) feels underused for most of the runtime, only coming into focus in the final act. With actors capable of going the distance, a bit more substance could’ve made the ensemble dynamic far more compelling.

The true standout of the film is Madelyn Cline. She’s made summer flicks her turf, so it’s no surprise she feels right at home in IKWYDLS as Danica Richards. In many ways, Danica is a rehash of Helen Shivers—blonde, beautiful, and far tougher than she’s given credit for. The parallels are intentional, but Cline brings a charisma that makes the archetype feel fresh. It helps that Cline has dealt with a killer on the loose (thank you, Glass Onion). She’s the comic relief when there’s tension, but just as easily becomes the film’s emotional anchor when everything starts to spiral. You root for her without hesitation.

OLD FRIENDS

Of course, you can’t have a legacy sequel without bringing back the faces that started it all. Jennifer Love Hewitt reprises her role as Julie James, and boy, is it good to see her again. Having long left Southport behind, she steps into more of a guiding role for the new generation. Her presence is subtle yet meaningful—less about reclaiming the spotlight and more about quietly passing the torch, all while reminding us why she became a final girl in the first place.

Freddie Prinze Jr. also returns as Ray Bronson, and we learn that he and Julie are no longer together. There’s a simmering hostility in every shared scene, but what really stands out is how differently they’ve dealt with their trauma. While Julie has chosen distance and healing, Ray remains tethered to the past. After all, survival doesn’t look the same for everyone, nor do we have the same tools to face them.

Oh, and here’s a tip: keep your eyes peeled because you might just spot some more familiar faces along the way…

VISUALS

When it comes to cinematography, IKWYDLS pulls no punches. It leans into glossy aesthetics that heighten both the glamour and the dread of its coastal setting—a constant tug-of-war between beauty and menace. There’s a clear nod to late-’90s slasher roots in the way certain shots are composed: rapid cuts, moody hallway pans, and the unmistakable over-the-shoulder stalker angles that horror fans will clock instantly. The film also embraces the genre’s bloodier side, using practical effects to make each kill gritty enough to satisfy slasher purists.

FINAL VERDICT

IKWYDLS anchors its story in fresh faces and doesn’t rely on nostalgia alone, even as it honours what came before. Sure, it stumbles in places. But as far as horror revivals go, this one earns its place in the franchise. It breaks free from the genre’s long-running curse of failed reboots with a fun, bloody return that embraces familiar ground without ever feeling stale.

Rating: 7/10

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