I Know What You Did Last Summer Movie Review

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” continues with the (same named) movie that was originally released in 1997. There was a follow-up movie (“I Still Know…yada,yada”). Now this confusingly-named movie is a direct sequel to those movies. It’s no wonder the evil killer is a slasher. Driven mad by these movies!

All the way back in 1997, in a small seaside town named Southport – there was a bunch of high-school aged kids. They did what they normally do in movies like these. They played Stupid Games, only to win Stupid Prizes. In that case, there was a terrible accident, and they caused the death of somebody. That was followed by a massive cover-up until a year later.

Enter the ‘Fisherman’ — a mysterious killer in a rain slicker and huge hat. Many folks in the town were murdered by the vicious vengeance-seeking killer. Using an over-sized hook, there were deaths all over. Then a couple of years later, the whole thing unfolded again. That time it was a bloodbath in the Bahamas.

Fast forward to the present time, and the town of Southport has a new group of victims. This is a small group of friends who are there for the celebration for Danica (played by Madelyn Cline). She is to be married to Teddy (played by Tyriq Withers). Teddy’s father, Grant Spencer (played by Billy Campbell), pretty much controls the town.

Coming back into town are Ava (played by Chase Sui Wonders) and her one-time boyfriend Milo (played by Jonah Hauer-King. There is also another girl named Stevie (played by Sarah Pidgeon). After the party, go all out to watch July 4th fireworks. They are up on a dark and twisted road next to the ocean cliffs.

These new ‘Stupid Games’ results in a new fatal accident. All the friends are scared, and they leave quickly. Ava insists they report everything to the police. But Teddy says that his dad can ‘take of everything’. Ava, Milo and Stevie are shocked, but they cannot change anything.

One year later, in the next Summer — all hell breaks loose. They have been hiding a terrible secret, but there is someone who knows everything. Danica has broken off with Teddy, and her new fiancée is murdered. Ava came back into town and met a woman who does a ‘True Crime’ podcast. It centers on all the Southport events from back in 1997.

Before too long, they find that Grant Spencer has worked hard the past 25 plus years to cover up the original Southport murders. After all, who wants to visit and live in a town that has a murderous history? Ava learns a lot from Tyler (played by Gabbriette Bechtel). She is the podcaster that gives them the lowdown.

There are more murders, and the creepy ‘Fisherman’ is back with the deadly hook. Many more people are killed, and the group is stressed. Ava goes to find a person who survived the original killings. It is Julie James (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt). But there is another person who was also involved in the 1997 events. That is Ray Bronson (played by Freddie Prinze Jr.).

Ray is Stevie’s boss at the bar that he runs. The local police are of no help, because Grant Spencer is making sure they down play all these events. There is local guy who runs a small church. This is Pastor Judah played by Austin Nichols). Ava and Danica go to visit him, but they are freaked out by how he behaves.

The killer is concentrating on the group of friends who had caused the accident last Summer. This is very similar to what happened before. Ava goes to meet with Julie James – the survivor from the first tragedy. Ava would like to have Julie come back to Southport. But she is dead-set against that idea. Because she does not want to be Dead…

The ‘Fisherman’ is stalking people around the stressed-out group. Soon they will also become victims of the fiend. And it all goes back to What They Did Last Summer. There seems to be some type of connection, but as of yet – nobody has been able to see what that might be. What is the ‘hook’ — so to speak?

What type of madness has fallen over the citizens of Southport? Is it the same disturbing crazy events as back in 1997? With the help of Julie James and Ray Bronson (past survivors), can this group find a way to get out alive?

Will this result in a new, endless cycle of more ‘Last Summer’ events (and movies)? I guess that all depends how strong the Box Office will be, right?

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“I Know What You Did Last Summer” gets the unfortunate baggage of being a ‘legacy sequel’. These types of movies have been done before — with some mixed results. But what about this version?

Well, it has some good points being that the casting and the acting are pretty decent. But the convoluted ‘logic’ of the plot hampers what happens and how the movie unfolds. The story and writing are not up-to-par. There are a few plot holes big enough you could sail a fishing trawler through them…

Many things that happen are predictable and not totally realistic. The movie has very good performances with Chase Sui Wonders and Madelyn Cline (characters Ava and Danica). Other characters are fairly bland and not as well-defined. The movie has a few good moments of tension, and some gory kills. A singular theme of revenge runs as deep as the pools of blood.

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” tried very hard, but it does not — and could never — duplicate the ‘fresher’ feeling of the same named movie from 1997. This ‘Fisherman’ is starting to smell like day old fish.