I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) Review

This incident feels eerily similar.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a 2025 sequel to the 1997 slasher film. A group of friends is terrorized by an unknown stalker who knows about a gruesome incident they’re covering up. Tracking down faces from the past, the culprit comes after them, brandishing a sharp hook.

I was excited for this movie as the opening day approached. Seeing horror movies in theaters makes for memorable summer evenings. Like most horror remakes, I Know What You Did Last Summer excels in violent kills, but the story wasn’t done sunbathing to reach its full potential.

The cast of this remake/sequel consists of actors who are just branching out into their careers. They all do their best with the script, resorting to running and screaming most of the time. In a major contrast to the first film, I didn’t feel the friendship between these characters.

Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Sarah Pidgeon, and Tyra Withers star as the friends. I looked up their filmography, and they’ve had interesting media careers thus far.

Cline (Danica) stars in the Netflix series Outer Banks as Sarah Cameron. Despite Danica’s ditsy personality, Cline did a good job with the character, avoiding stereotypical boundaries and adding more depth. Her well-timed, comical responses made me laugh.

Hauer-King was just seen as Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid (2023). I first saw Pidgeon in Tiny Beautiful Things. You need to check her out in this series. She is a strong actress and plays nuances very well.

Horror regulars Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie) and Freddie Prince Jr. (Ray) reprise their roles from the original film. The younger stars were thrilled to work with the originals. Hewitt and Prince are mostly used for nostalgia bait. Another cameo is in the movie. Given the absurd and campy nature of the scene, it works. It was my favorite scene!

The characters didn’t excite me, however, the kills are graphic and keep you on your toes. The violence is graphic. It’s what horror fans crave. Filmmakers updated the killer’s costume and weapon choice to appear more threatening.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson stepped in as director the instant she heard that the 90s thriller was in reboot talks. Her love for slasher films started when she saw the original thriller film in theaters when she was nine years old.

Although Robinson says that she avoided making it a direct rehash, that’s what it feels like. With the film switching between copying scenes from the original and doing its own thing, this film felt like the writers' team were still choosing which sunscreen to use.

However, I liked Robinson’s approach to directing this film when I read about the behind-the-scenes stories. In her direction, she wanted to focus on the effects of trauma. That’s a compelling subject matter that not many horror films have explored.

Instead of taking its own horror routes, this film copies the legacy horror franchise Scream’s formula. The twist is clever, but I’m not sure how to feel about the inclusion of an important character. A lot of fans have backlashed at the film, upset by the twist.

I have gone back and forth myself, but arguably, it’s something different. I wasn’t expecting it. The message reflects how trauma affects people and how it may never go away.

It’s a campy film, but it’s still worth checking out. I Know What You Did Last Summer will hook you, and it’s worth seeing in theaters for the startling jump scares. Stay for the credits for an unexpected reunion.