Chase Sui Wonders stars as Ava Brucks in “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (Photo Credit: Sony Pictures)
(“I Know What You Did Last Summer” trailer courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment)
When the original “I Know What You Did Last Summer” dropped in 1997, it was a cultural phenomenon.
Rappers like Mystikal dropped the movie title in songs like “Go 2 War” by Big Ed.
Over 25 years later, his New Orleans hip-hop brethren B.G. even used the title to diss his Hot Boys group mate, Hot Boy Turk.
In 1997, people had not seen anything quite like it.
Therefore, it came as no surprise when the movie took off financially and culturally.
While the 2025 version of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is unpredictable, to say the least, and does not disappoint, there is something about the O.G.s, aka the original gangsters or the predecessors, that makes reboots and sequels good but not quite as good.
In “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” the waterfront town of Southport has done its due diligence to shed the label of a city of serial killers.
Back in the day, some demented circus monkey went around town with a hook, seeking revenge for what people did or did not do a year earlier.
Town officials began rebranding the town as a resort town or great vacation home location, even scrubbing the Internet of any mentions of the town’s past.
In the real world, their efforts at rebranding could evoke memories of Dallas and the makeover it underwent from the 1960s to the 1980s.
In 1963, when Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated former President John F. Kennedy, Dallas became known as the city of an assassin.
Therefore, the city began rebranding itself as the glitzy and glamorous capital of the South with the Dallas Cowboys, the Cowboy cheerleaders, and the late-night soap opera, “Dallas.”
But to the residents who survived the massacres, rewriting history seems a little disrespectful and dishonest.
Nevertheless, an entire generation of Southport natives never even heard much about the story.
The new generation was able to live normal teenage years before going off to college and, hopefully, one day getting married and starting their own families.
So, when Ava Brucks (Chase Sui Wonders) travels back home for her best friend Danica Richards’ (Madelyn Cline) engagement party, she is excited and apprehensive at the same time.
In “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” Ava is excited about Danica’s engagement to her friend Teddy Spencer (Tyriq Withers), and she is equally as happy to see her old boyfriend Milo Griffin (Jonah Hauer-King), who is Teddy’s best friend.
The weekend will be like old times, and maybe Ava and Milo can make their own love connection like their best friends have.
Despite the reunions happening at the engagement party, the Fab Four once was the Fab Five.
The fifth wheel in their friendship was Stevie Ward (Sarah Pidgeon).
Unfortunately, life had a much more negative impact on Stevie’s future than it did on her high school buddies.
As a result, Stevie eventually drifted away from the other four and vice versa.
But a chance meeting after the party helps reestablish the bond between Stevie and the foursome.
For old times’ sake, they travel together to watch the Fourth of July fireworks on a winding local road, which happens to be the best spot to see the festivities.
And just like many people’s high school years, a good time cannot be had without alcohol and marijuana.
What often follows heavy marijuana and alcohol use, at any age, is poor decisions and regrets.
Consequently, when Teddy plays around in the road, it leads to a tragic automobile accident.
A driver swerves to avoid Teddy and crashes into the water.
Instead of staying at the scene after they called the police or going to the police station to give a statement, the quintet leaves the scene before the authorities arrive.
They then go on about the lives for one year before Danica receives a card with a cryptic message that reads, “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
Uh oh.
The thing about franchise movies like “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is that they have an established fan base and an established modus operandi.
The franchise will attract new fans who, probably, were not born yet in 1997.
But it cannot veer too far from its formula because established fans want what the originals gave them.
Therefore, predictability is a given.
But the 2025 version of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” avoids an exorbitant amount of predictability.
Furthermore, the movie definitely contains its unpredictable moments (another shameless shoutout to rapper Mystikal).
Some O.G. s return for the 2025 version of “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
But almost three decades could undoubtedly change a person, especially after experiencing so much trauma back in 1997.
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” does not have spectacular performances.
However, the horror movie has some cute performances, mainly from Richards.
The movie will keep viewers guessing.
But when the true killer is revealed, it is extremely surprising.
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” has many turn-your-head scenes, which are too gory to watch.
Any shortcomings are made up for by appearances by the aforementioned O.G.s like Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddy Prinze Jr. and more.
However, the new version, while solid, does not do more for pop culture than its predecessors did back in the late 1990s.
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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