The I Know What You Did Last Summer series proved to be one of the most memorable and appreciated whodunnit slashers of the 90s. While the series is often compared and paralleled to Scream due to their shared screenwriter in Kevin Williamson, the series is distinctly different in terms of tone and execution, playing it straight and serious as opposed to Scream’s satirical nature. With some effective kills and compelling mysteries, the films have a vast range of quality and inherent entertainment value between them, as each film in the franchise feels distinctly different from one another.
Among the current four entries in the franchise, there is certainly a scale when it comes to quality and overall entertainment value, as opposed to other slasher franchises that are largely consistent in their approach. Said entertainment within the franchise is also achieved in completely different ways with each entry, whether it be a straight-laced horror mystery, a campy, nonsensical slasher, or a so-bad-it’s-good disaster. One can argue that there is entertainment to be found within each entry of the franchise, although specific entries are certainly more entertaining than others.
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‘I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer’ (2006)
Directed by Sylvain White
In terms of a pure quality perspective, there is absolutely no denying that I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer is the worst film in the franchise and arguably one of the worst slashers of all time. The straight-to-video sequel was already facing an uphill battle by not having any returning cast members, but its lackluster budget and bafflingly idiotic story make for a terrible watch from start to finish. Many would argue that the film is completely devoid of any entertainment value, as it proves to be of such low quality that even its slight positive aspects, such as the half-decent practical effects, are drowned out by shoddy editing and terrible performances. However, for those with a sickening love for terrible movies, I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer may just work as an unexpected so-bad-it’s-good experience.
While the other films in the I Know What You Did Last Summer series certainly have their fair share of flaws, I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer reaches a breaking point where the flaws are so overwhelming that it almost becomes laughable. The film is filled with these unintentionally hilarious moments, like the central trauma-inducing death being caused by a skateboarder falling off of a roof or the main villain being the zombified corpse of Ben Willis that miraculously traveled from North Carolina to Colorado. For those that are looking for a genuinely scary or compelling slasher film, I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer is going to disappoint ten times out of ten, making it only truly worth watching for those who can find entertainment in the worst that horror has to offer.
I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer
- Release Date
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June 24, 2006
- Runtime
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92 minutes
Cast
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Brooke Nevin
Amber Williams
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David Paetkau
Colby Patterson
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‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (2025)
Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
The latest film in the franchise and a reboot/sequel in the same vein as films like Halloween (2018) and Scream (2022), the 2025 rendition of I Know What You Did Last Summer plays into all the clichés and tropes of modern horror “requels”. It largely plays its plot like a repeat of the original film, simply with a younger, modern cast of characters being accompanied by the old veterans of the original film, Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), as guiding mentors. While there is some inherent fun to be had with the new interpretation of Southport and how this new era of kills is dealt with by the lead cast, the film gets too caught up in awkward plot points and distracting writing to make it a real smash hit.
The film has moments of clear creativity and fun that make it entertaining to watch as a modern rendition of the story, such as a twist on the classic car crash murder and a greater emphasis placed on the effect of trauma over a year. When the film is at its best and having fun with its new implementations, there is a lot of inherent fun to be had. However, the primary problem that stops the film from being on the same level as the original films that it continues is just how cluttered and chaotic it can all feel. With so many new characters, plot threads, red herrings, and possibilities established in the film, it becomes a chaotic mess to try and tie them all together in the final act, made sour by a twist that actively goes against the characterization of the classic characters.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
- Release Date
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July 18, 2025
- Runtime
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100 minutes
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Madelyn Cline
Danica Richards
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Chase Sui Wonders
Ava Brucks
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Jonah Hauer-King
Milo Griffin
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Tyriq Withers
Teddy Spencer
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‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1998)
Directed by Danny Cannon
One may argue that, as far as direct quality is concerned, the newly made reboot sequel is a more well-crafted experience than the original franchise sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. However, many of the flaws that plague this film from being on the same level as other entries, quality-wise, manage to make it an absolute blast to watch entertainment-wise, giving a goofy, campy energy unmatched by any other film in the series. A lot of this inherent campiness comes from the new central setting of a Bahamas resort, giving the film a strange, tropical feeling that makes the proceeding kills and mayhem a lot more fun, even if a bit scattered.
The film as a whole largely does away with the original conceit and hook of the franchise, not even having a new shocking act for the characters to reminisce on a year later outside the events of the previous film. It makes this film feel more like a non-serious continuation of the original film as opposed to its own story, giving it the opportunity to have all sorts of creative possibilities. Aspects like Ray spending the majority of the film battered down and rushing to the island, or a confusing stoner Jack Black as a side character may be lacking quality wise, but add to the film’s inherent entertainment value. A hot mess with a lot of personality is always going to be more entertaining than a formulaic and generic retread of past material, which is what gives I Still Know What You Did Last Summer the edge over the 2025 reboot.
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‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1997)
Directed by Jim Gillespie
While there can be arguments made as to which is the most entertaining among the various sequels that the series has received over the years, there is no denying that the 1997 original is the peak of the franchise in terms of entertainment. I Know What You Did Last Summer not only establishes these characters and the franchise-spanning themes and messages of trauma and changes over time, but it accomplishes these feats in a highly entertaining and memorable fashion. Sequences like Julie yelling out to the sky “What are you waiting for!” and the long, arduous chase sequence featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s Helen Shivers are iconic to the franchise for good reason, as the film is filled with moments like these that are as entertaining as they are compelling.
The central mystery and hook of the film is compelling all the way through, going through all sorts of twists and turns before ending in a resounding and ingenious way that felt highly original for whodunit slashers of the era. The film had a major impact on ’90s horror as a whole for good reason, as its usage of compelling characters, slick kills, and an ambiguous mystery struck a chord with audiences who were riding the new wave of original slashers. One could just as easily find great value in simply rewatching this original film repeatedly instead of checking out any of the sequels, as while these other entries may have their shining moments, all of them combined don’t come close to the entertaining horror greatness of the original.
