‘I Know What You Did Last Summer' review: A funny stab at the lousy original
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
Running time: 111 minutes. Rated R (bloody horror violence, language throughout, some sexual content and brief drug use). In theaters.
Horror movie characters never learn from past mistakes.
Running away from the killer, teen girls will always, always sprint up the stairs and into an inescapable bedroom. They know no other path.
But, outside the screen, filmmakers occasionally do make life-saving course corrections.
That's the most pleasant surprise of the sorta sequel to 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' (inasmuch as a reboot about a checklist of college kids getting impaled can be pleasant or surprising): It's a lot better than the 1997 version, if equally as stupid.
'Nostalgia is overrated,' says Jennifer Love Hewitt's returning Julie James, taking her own hook to all the zombified millennials and Gen Xers in the audience who unconditionally love the flawed original.
The awful '90s movie was released in the wake of 'Scream' blowing up the genre a year earlier. Yet when it arrived, it was just another shrieks-and-shrugs slasher flick and went off a cliff in more ways than one.
Yes, it had Hewitt, but it had no wit. The Fisherman wasn't remotely scary. The characters were interchangeable. The whodunit ending featured some guy we hadn't even met. The enduring image is crabs in a trunk!
When other critics prattle on about so-called 'legacy' sequels, as if 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' is some sort of vaunted Everest to climb, I laugh and laugh and laugh some more.
The improved refresh, which also stars Freddie Prinze Jr. alongside the new young cast, is very funny and dry. The film is self-aware, but not in the obnoxious way the recent 'Scream' movies have been. And it's cognizant of the franchise's many, many faults.
When one imperiled character suggests the group just 'f–k off to the Bahamas,' Prinze Jr.'s grizzled Ray shoots back, 'For reasons I won't get into, I wouldn't do that.'
The kills are much more gruesome and the shadowy Fisherman is actually freaky.
'I Know' kept me interested, even if it also made me braindead. Make no mistake, this is a dumb movie. One woman loses two fiancés and is back to wisecracking a scene later. The flick is dependent on obvious jump-scares and retro throwbacks. But it's also a nice break from all the self-important horror movies out there with Oscar aspirations. The key word here is 'summer.'
The waters off the shore of Southport, North Carolina, may be rocky, but one thing that's not rocking the boat is the familiar story.
At the start, we're practically in 'Groundhog Day,' only it's the Fourth of July. A group of five well-heeled, well-lubricated friends drive up to a cliffside road to watch the fireworks.
Rather than a hit-and-run, however, this time another car swerves off the road after almost slamming into Teddy (Tyriq Withers), a drunk dummy standing in the middle of the street. The driver plummets to their likely death.
Teddy rings his powerful dad to fix the mess, Murdaugh murders style, and the group agrees to never speak of the incident again.
One year later, at her engagement party, airhead Danica (Madelyn Cline) gets an ominous letter among her presents: 'I know what you did last summer.'
Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's film then hitches onto the latest fad — the original scream queen, hardened and battle ready, goes once more unto the breach. Think Jamie Lee Curtis in the 'Halloween' reboot or Neve Campbell in the 2022 'Scream.' Julie, now a traumatized psychology professor, reluctantly gets roped in.
Her young prototype is Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), an untethered free spirit with issues. She flirts with innocent Milo (Jonah Hauer-King) and is trailed by the suspicious Tyler (Gabbriette Bechtel), the host of the murder podcast 'Live, Laugh, Slaughter.'
Most enticing is Stevie, a townie who works at the local bar, played by fresh-from-Broadway Sarah Pidgeon. Come to think of it, Pidgeon is the human embodiment of the 1990s.
Somebody brutally dies, and then the self-absorbed, unlikable, helpless survivors have no solution but to throw a bath bomb in the tub and hook up. You see? Mocking Gen Z is the great American pastime.
After a completely ridiculous ending — still leagues better than the first movie's — a post-credits sequence suggests that a sequel could be in the cards. But, honestly, by now the stationary stores are out of paper. The Sharpies runneth dry. Find me someone who doesn't know what they did last summer.
We all remember how well a follow-up worked for this series the last two times.
I say: One and done, then give 'em the hook.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
From Krispy Kreme to GoPro, has meme-stock trading frenzy returned?
Shares in struggling retailers and ageing consumer brands surged, as amateur traders cast aside Wall Street's skepticism and mobilized online. It's like 2021 all over again. But the latest meme-stock rally could be even bigger than its predecessor four years ago, when investors piled into recognizable but unloved stocks, such as the video games retailer GameStop and the movie theatre chain AMC, according to the founder of the Reddit forum that helped whip up the frenzy. Retailer Kohl's, camera firm GoPro, fast-food chain Wendy's and doughnut chain Krispy Kreme each staged rapid rallies this week, driven by abrupt surges in trading volume reminiscent of the the meme-stock craze of 2021, when social media memes boosted a collection of struggling stocks, triggering extraordinary and volatile leaps in value. Actress Sydney Sweeney helped bring clothing retailer American Eagle Outfitters into the mania after it was announced the Euphoria and White Lotus star would front the brand's latest marketing campaign. The company's shares surged about 10% in trading on Thursday. Meme stocks are 'about to leap-frog in size and scope and scale, so that retail traders are going to redefine what matters', according to Jaime Rogozinski, founder of the wallstreetbets Reddit forum behind many of the volatile rallies. 'The world of finance is clearly changing, with blockchain technologies encroaching, and AI agents that trade on their own,' he said. 'And the collective of retail traders is adapting along with it.' Rogozinski founded wallstreetbets in 2012, but said Reddit ousted him as a moderator in 2020. His bid to sue the social media company for trademark infringement was dismissed by the US court of appeals for the ninth circuit last month. The forum's users home in on stocks and share their own research. 'It's a decentralization of power of who can be financial analyst,' said Noor Al, a moderator on wallstreetbets. 'Great ideas can now come from anyone, anywhere. 'We're seeing the power of retail push stocks, sometimes to the tune of billions of dollars, through the power of ideas, the power of community and the power of the people,' he added. The meme-stock craze of 2021, which produced stars such as Roaring Kitty, was a product of the Covid era, when many amateur traders were stuck at home and flush with pandemic stimulus cash. Whether this latest frenzy produces similar winners is not yet clear. Kohl's finished the week up 32%, GoPro was up 66% and Krispy Kreme was up 41%. The rallies show some investors are willing to take on more risk, as stocks scale record highs and the market, dominated by big tech, becomes harder to beat. Often, meme-stock bets are unbound from economic fundamentals, as investors move to support a brand for romantic or ideological reasons. Donald Trump's Trump Media & Technology Group, home to Truth Social, is valued at more than $5bn on quarterly revenue of about $1m. The wallstreetbets ethos 'has always to some extent been about flaunting and exploiting the ironies, relevance or irrelevance' of the stock market, said Rogozinski, who pointed to Wendy's, the hamburger chain, as a good example. 'Wendy's has always been a meme that goes back a decade. It brings a smile to my face, because on Reddit there's always been this thing where they say: 'Sir, this is a Wendy's.' 'It's an inside joke, and I don't even get where it started. It's just a meme,' he added. The stock's fleeting rise – it rallied 10% in two days, but finished the week broadly flat – shows some retail investors do not necessarily care about the typical factors that drive the market, such as tariffs and war in the Middle East. 'It's this ability for us to almost make fun of the financial system.' Long-term institutional players will always get the last laugh, Rogozinski conceded, because prices will return to normal valuations. 'But in the short term there's lot of money to be had with this volatility, and the fact that stocks are able to move up and down with such ease is but a mere showcase for how the financial system needs a facelift in relevancy.' Related: Bed Bath & Beyond sees 'meme-stock' surge – but is it too little, too late? While current market conditions do not replicate the low interest rates and retail investor buoyancy of the Covid era, market records and a robust economy have made meme stocks attractive once again for some. 'You see all these indications where this is full-blown meme mania,' Brent Kochuba, founder of derivatives-data firm SpotGamma, told Bloomberg. 'The macro economic environment really favors the retail and speculative plays,' agreed Al. 'I think were only going to see more speculation and excitement. It's a good time to tune in, because retail players can react and provide insight faster.' Days traders are not necessarily bothered by a company's financial performance, said Rogozinski. 'You have this activist, elective investor who is saying, 'I don't care what the financial statements look like, I don't care what the discounted cashflow is, I like the food, I like the video-game store, I like the meme. So dude, you can go back to Excel spreadsheets if you want, but I really like the chicken tenders,'' he said. There is now a 'third component' to investment, beyond supply and demand, he claimed, 'which is, 'dude, I don't care if you think it's going to go up or not, or if they have assets or liabilities. I care about this company and I'm going to help it out. I'm going to go buy my jeans from American Eagle.'' Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Astronomer Hired Gwyneth Paltrow To Answer Questions After The CEO Was Allegedly Caught Cheating At A Coldplay Concert
Today in "News You Didn't See Coming," Gwyneth Paltrow was hired at Astronomer — yes, the same company that recently went viral after two of its employees were caught "having an affair" at a Coldplay concert. Related: As seen in now-infamous video, Coldplay singer and (Gwyneth's ex) Chris Martin was highlighting fans on the jumbotron at a recent concert when the camera cut to two people getting cozy in the audience. Realizing they were on camera, the two immediately panicked and hid, leading Chris to joke that they were "having an affair." As it turned out, they seemingly were. The man in the video was later identified as Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, who is reported to be married with two kids, while the woman, later identified as CPO Kristin Cabot, reportedly got a divorce in 2022. After widespread jokes and commentary about the video, an internal investigation was launched. Andy ultimately resigned from his role last week, while Kristin's departure was announced on Thursday. @instaagraace / Via Related: Then, in the plot twist of all plot twists, Gwyneth was announced as a "temporary spokesperson" for the tech company. She shared the news herself yesterday in a video statement posted to Astronomer's X account. "Thank you for your interest in Astronomer," Gwyneth began. "Hi, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer." She said, "Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days. And they wanted me to answer the most common ones." Related: Text then popped up on the screen, asking, "OMG what the actual f," which Gwyneth completely ignored to respond to a different question. "Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apace Airflow," she answered. "Unifying the experience of running data, ML, and AI pipelines at scale. We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data automation." She also said, "As for the other questions we've received — yes! There's still room available at our Beyond Analytics event in September. We will now be returning to what we do best, delivering game-changing results for our customers. Thank you for your interest in Astronomer." @astronomerio / Via Twitter: @astronomerio Viewers reacted to the video in the comments, with many calling it a "genius" and "brilliant" way to capitalize on all the publicity. "Turning an internet dragging of their CEO into a full-blown PR moment by bringing in Chris Martin's ex as a spokesperson? That's not marketing, that's wizardry," one tweet with over 4,000 likes read. "Guys this is a PR masterclass," another agreed, garnering over 12,000 likes. "You take the most viral moment of July 2025 and, instead of disaster control, make light of the situation and create the ultimate brand awareness. Bravo." Related: Someone else said it was "one of the best crisis responses" they've ever seen. "You hired the Coldplay singer's ex-wife. Extraordinary," said another. "Honestly, well done to the marketing team, this is incredible haha," one viewer wrote on Reddit, as others called it both a "brilliant" and "hilarious" move by the company. "This is so unserious, I love it," said one person, as another said it was "well-played." "Their social media and PR team all deserve a nice vacation far away from any upcoming Coldplay concerts," one more shared. Honestly, yes. Hopefully, Chris responds to this — I'm dying to know what he thinks! Until then, share your thoughts on all of this in the comments. Also in Celebrity: Also in Celebrity: Also in Celebrity: Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
22 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
It Sure Sounds Like ‘Alien Vs. Predator' May Return In the Future
So over here we've got new Alien movies and a new Alien TV show. And over there we've got new Predator movies expanding that universe. Then, in the upcoming Predator movie, a prominent character is made by Weyland-Yutani, a company at the center of the original Alien film, which also plays a large role in the new Alien movies and TV shows. What the heck is going on here? Friday at San Diego Comic-Con offered fans a rare opportunity to hear from two of the people primarily responsible for major franchises, in the same place, on the same day. And that's exactly what happened in both the Alien: Earth and Predator: Badlands panels, which both took place in Hall H. First up, at the Alien: Earth panel, a fan asked showrunner and creator Noah Hawley if Alien vs. Predator was something we might see in the future. 'I don't have any current involvement in that combo package,' Hawley said. 'But I love seeing that Dan Trachtenberg is continuing with the Predator series. This new movie looks great, and my question is, 'Can't we all just get along?'' An expert passing of the buck, to say the least. But, fast forward a few hours, and the person Hawley passed the buck to was on the same stage. Moderator Kevin Smith asked Trachtenberg about if the fact that Weyland Yutani, a company from Alien, is in Predator: Badlands is teasing at an eventual showdown. 'I think sometimes people that are dabbling in cinematic universes, there's a seduction to grab all the action figures and smush them all together,' Trachtenberg said. 'And I really didn't want to do that, and I really wanted to make sure if we ever do something, it would be a little more elegant.' Smith pressed him for more. Could he, the person now responsible for Predator, bring Aliens in? 'Wouldn't it be cool?' the director added. The crowd roared. Of course, one person not in attendance who'd have a say in this, outside of the executives paying for everything, is Fede Alvarez. Alvarez made last year's Alien Romulus and is expected to return to that world in the future. But, since Trachtenberg is clearly linking his Predator movies with Alien and continues to expand the Predator franchise by bringing back iconic characters like Danny Glover's Lt. Harrigan and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch, there's clearly a larger plan in place (oh, you didn't hear about that? Yes, that happened). And that plan may just be heading toward the Alien and Predator sharing the screen one more time. Do you want to see a new Alien vs. Predator movie? Let us know below. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
