There’s something frustratingly apathetic about the new version of “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” a kind of reboot that tries to balance respect for the 1997 original with a half-hearted attempt at updating the formula. The result, though, is a movie that hesitates on all fronts: it hesitates to be bold, it hesitates to be gory, and it even hesitates to be fun. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-written with Sam Lansky, the film feels more interested in seeming relevant than in actually telling a good story. The attempt to layer the narrative with social commentary—on gentrification, trauma, inequality, and media exploitation—could’ve been a welcome addition to the slasher genre, but it all comes off like bad makeup: nice from a distance, but it doesn’t hold up when you look closer. The plot follows Ava (Chase Sui Wonders) and her group of friends after a tragic accident they choose to cover up. Guilt haunts them for a year—until the inevitable note appears: “I know what you did last summer.” It’s a functional setup, but totally sterile. Unlike the original, which tackled guilt in a raw, almost primal way (and had characters making morally murky choices, which made them more compelling), this version oddly softens the group’s responsibility. The writers’ decision to avoid placing anyone directly behind the wheel the night of the accident feels like a move designed to preserve the audience’s sympathy—but it only ends up deflating the tension. What should’ve been a dark jumping-off point for horror ends up feeling like a lazy narrative cop-out, watering down the weight of everything that follows. Once the killings start, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” runs into its second big problem: tonal inconsistency. The first few deaths have that over-the-top, almost comic book-style gore you’d expect from slashers that know exactly what they are. But as the movie goes on, it starts taking itself way too seriously—and what began as bloody fun turns into something dour and sluggish. There’s one scene, in particular, where a victim bleeds out while crying for their mom, and instead of shock or empathy, it just feels uncomfortable—for all the wrong reasons. The film seems torn between wanting to be “Scream” and wanting to be “Hereditary,” but it lacks the technical skill or script finesse to land in either space. Saira Haider’s clunky editing only makes things worse, breaking the rhythm at crucial points and making the story feel longer than it actually is. Another thing that adds to the film’s emptiness is the cast. Chase Sui Wonders gives a solid performance and manages to carry the film with some grace, but most of the supporting cast lacks the charisma to make you care. Names like Madelyn Cline and Jonah Hauer-King are clearly there more for marketing than for any real connection with their roles. Jennifer Love Hewitt’s return as Julie James, while clearly well-meant, is completely underused: her character exists more as a nostalgic wink to longtime fans than as an organic part of the plot. Her arc—dealing with a bitter divorce from Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.)—hints at deeper trauma the script clearly doesn’t want to explore. It’s a total waste of emotional legacy, something that could’ve been the strongest link between the franchise’s past and present. And then there’s the ending. Oh man, the ending. Or better yet—the multiple endings. It’s a pile-up of plot twists that not only fail to surprise, but actually insult the viewer’s intelligence. At a certain point, it feels like the writers watched the trainwreck that was “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” and said, “Let’s top that.” The final reveals are so absurd and sloppily strung together that any attempt at internal logic just goes out the window. Add in some outdated internet slang and eye-roll-worthy one-liners, and the whole thing ends on a note that’s more cringe than clever. Overall, the 2025 “I Know What You Did Last Summer” fails not because it tried something new—but because it never really committed to anything. It’s a slasher that wants to seem smart but never digs into its themes, and wants to be entertaining without having the script to back it up. With a bit more guts, it could’ve become a biting take on guilt, class, and collective memory. Instead, by playing it safe, it ends up being just another forgettable reboot, stuck somewhere between the weight of nostalgia and a total lack of its own identity.

The film has its strengths but it also has its weaknesses... it's disappointing when we find out who wields the hook this time...

Why woke everywhere? So annoying!

This movie is total ass cheeks.