I Know What You Did Last Summer Movie Review (2025)
A modern horror reboot that fails to sharpen the original’s edge, delivering nostalgia with little suspense or bite.
Hollywood continues its trend of revisiting late-90s horror staples with the 2025 reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer. With the success of recent reboots like Scream and Final Destination: Bloodlines, expectations were cautiously high for a fresh take on this slasher classic. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and written alongside Sam Lansky, this remake returns to the small town of Southport, where a group of friends find themselves stalked by a mysterious killer one year after a deadly accident.
Unfortunately, while the film attempts to update its themes for a modern audience—adding layers of class, trauma, and true crime culture—it ultimately settles into formulaic territory. Despite a few effective moments and a committed performance by Chase Sui Wonders, the movie struggles with pacing, inconsistent tone, and a lack of true scares.
Plot Summary: I Know What You Did Last Summer
Set on the 4th of July, the film follows five friends—Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), Danica (Madelyn Cline), Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), Teddy (Tyriq Withers), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon)—who are involved in a tragic roadside incident. Instead of reporting it, they flee the scene, leaving their secret to fester. One year later, a chilling note appears: “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
As members of the group start to die, Ava is forced to revisit the past and seek help from someone who’s lived through this before—Julie James, played once again by Jennifer Love Hewitt. Her return, along with Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray, ties the film to its roots but doesn’t quite elevate the reboot to the level of its predecessor.
What Works
Chase Sui Wonders delivers a grounded and believable performance as Ava. Her arc—from guilt-ridden survivor to reluctant investigator—anchors the story. Some early kill sequences also capture the over-the-top tension and gore that defined 90s slashers.
There’s also potential in the film’s thematic ambitions. The narrative hints at issues of social class, the glamorization of true crime, and the whitewashing of community tragedies, using the town of Southport as a metaphor for how horror is often hidden beneath affluence and tradition.
What Doesn’t
Despite its efforts, the film never fully commits to these themes. Important ideas—such as privilege, generational trauma, and exploitation—are introduced, then quickly abandoned in favor of surface-level scares and predictable twists.
Tonally, the movie is uneven. It begins with slasher energy but gradually becomes more melodramatic and self-serious, making its 111-minute runtime feel sluggish. Editing choices, especially during kill scenes, feel oddly paced and disjointed.
The climax delivers multiple twists, but they lack the impact of the original film’s reveal. The final moments aim for shock but instead come off as contrived and overly familiar.
Cast and Characters
Chase Sui Wonders is the standout here, showing promise as a future genre lead. Tyriq Withers adds some charisma, but the rest of the ensemble lacks the chemistry and spark that helped make the original cast iconic. Jennifer Love Hewitt’s return as Julie is more nostalgic than narrative-driving, and Freddie Prinze Jr.’s Ray is reduced to a background role with minimal effect on the story.
Final Verdict: I Know What You Did Last Summer Movie Review (2025)
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is a missed opportunity. It had all the ingredients: a nostalgic IP, a talented cast, and an updated premise with potential for social commentary. But instead of building something memorable, it plays it too safe, delivering a bland horror experience that will likely be forgotten by the time the next reboot arrives.
Rating: 2.5/5
Watchable, but rarely gripping. This slasher revival checks boxes rather than carving a new path.
