So I might not like this movie as much if I were watching today for the first time. My opinion is biased by the fact that seeing this in the theater was just about the most fun I've had at a movie. That nostalgia is part of what I enjoy about it, but there are other good elements as well. For one, I like Jennifer Love Hewitt as a scream queen. Actually, that might be it. It's not big on story, the performances aren't anything special, and the kills are pretty tame. I'm giving it a seven based on my personal enjoyment of it, but I'm not recommending it for horror fans for the reasons stated above.
426 Reviews
Undoubtedly one of the most memorable teen slasher movies.
paulclaassen20 May 2021
It's hard to believe 'I know what you did last summer' was made over two decades ago. This classic teenage slasher is still one of the most memorable movies in the genre.
Although a slasher, the film has substance. The very idea of what these teenagers are going through, makes one wonder: what would I have done if I were in that situation? The event leading to the revenge killings can so easily happen to anyone of us. Its believable and quite honestly a daunting thought. What would you have done?
What happens after the accident, off course is pure slasher material, but it still has substance. 'I know what you did last summer' is a creepy film with well crafted suspense. Naturally, there are a number of false scares and some credibility issues and coincidences, but in general this was thoroughly enjoyable. The performances were very good and the film itself has style and from the opening moments just felt memorable. The title alone is enough to make you want to watch it out of curiosity.
Although a slasher, the film has substance. The very idea of what these teenagers are going through, makes one wonder: what would I have done if I were in that situation? The event leading to the revenge killings can so easily happen to anyone of us. Its believable and quite honestly a daunting thought. What would you have done?
What happens after the accident, off course is pure slasher material, but it still has substance. 'I know what you did last summer' is a creepy film with well crafted suspense. Naturally, there are a number of false scares and some credibility issues and coincidences, but in general this was thoroughly enjoyable. The performances were very good and the film itself has style and from the opening moments just felt memorable. The title alone is enough to make you want to watch it out of curiosity.
A 90's SLASHER CLASSIC!!!
lukem-5276011 August 2018
I grew up watching all those AWESOME 90's slasher films after Scream started the new wave of slasher Thrillers & i loved those times of the 90's in my teens & couldn't wait for the next Horror hit & I know what you did last summer (1997) was a massive blockbuster hit & a Nostalgic classic of mine.
This is one of my favourites of those 90's slasher flicks, i love the cast & the BRILLIANT atmosphere & music & the excellent small fishing town location setting!!! The movie has a darkness to it,a real sense of dread & with the old worn down looking fishing town makes this a great slasher,the setting is beautiful & similar to the little fishing coastal town in the Fog (1980) so that's a very good thing!!!
Ben Willis is a scary killer too & very iconic & memorable with his wet looking fisherman coat & hook!!! Very cool & menacing looking.
Yeah this movie was a huge summer hit & when i finally brought it on video i loved it & watched it many times on a summer night, a perfect summer time slasher & one of the best made & actually a very well acted proper Thriller with real drama & characters within the slasher parts & that's why this stands up way above most of the rest of the 90's slasher wave, but i think Robert Rodriguez's The Faculty is the best of those.
This was made to be very good & not just another teen killer flick.
Last summer also stands out for having real serious drama & sense of threat,you really feel for the damaged characters & their lives!!!
Other good 90's slashers are of course Scream & Scream 2,The Faculty, Halloween H20 & Urban Legend these stood out as excellent well made slasher films & are all great
Reasonable teen slasher movie
SnoopyStyle11 July 2014
During the 4th of July holidays, four teens Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Barry William Cox (Ryan Phillippe) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.) are driving after drinking on the beach. Barry distracts Ray as he runs over a guy on a desolate road in the middle of the night. They argue convincing Ray to dump the body. Max (Johnny Galecki) drives by but Julie lies to him. The body has a hook for a hand but he's not actually dead as he makes a final grab at Helen. The friends agree to keep it a secret after dumping him in the harbor. Then one year later, Julia comes back to town from college and she gets a note with "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER!" Helen is working for her sister Elsa and broken up with the jerk Barry. Barry suspects Max as the one who wrote the note. Ray is now a fisherman following his father's footsteps.
The movie has some of the best young actors of Hollywood at the time. Kevin Williamson works over the script. It's a pretty simple teen slasher movie. It has some psychological aspects and mystery of the note. In the end, it's slash and splat. It works well and gets a couple of passable scares. It never really gets truly gritty or realistic. It's just an old fashion slasher flick. It's all about the old fashion 80s kills.
The movie has some of the best young actors of Hollywood at the time. Kevin Williamson works over the script. It's a pretty simple teen slasher movie. It has some psychological aspects and mystery of the note. In the end, it's slash and splat. It works well and gets a couple of passable scares. It never really gets truly gritty or realistic. It's just an old fashion slasher flick. It's all about the old fashion 80s kills.
True, it's another teen slasher flick
Smells_Like_Cheese13 November 2003
In the late 90's, there had seemed to be a trend of the Dawson's Creek meets Halloween slasher flicks, some had big hits like Scream, and some kinda missed like Urban Legend, then right in between came I Know What You Did Last Summer based off the book of the same name and I do mean just based on the book because the book and the movie are two entirely different tales. The book was more of a moral story while this was just a plain slasher teen flick, but over all I would say that I Know What You Did Last Summer was a decent horror flick. It starred the biggest stars of it's time: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ryan Phillipe, and surprisingly they clicked pretty well, but I think that's because they just all have to play pretty white kids with problems, lol. But it's all good, this was a fun little horror flick.
Four high school friends have graduated and are celebrating the fourth of July. They all have big plans: Julie is planning to go to Harvard, Helen is going to New York to become an actress, Ray is staying in town to help with the business of fishing, and Barry has a wrestling scholarship. They all are just having a big party and while driving home they accidentally hit a man, killing him. Freaked out and scarred for what might happen since alcohol is involved, they dump the body in the river hoping that it'll go away. But a year later when the friends re-unite, they are receiving letters claiming that someone knows what they did. Barry is then hit by a car, Helen's hair is chopped off, and Julie gets bodies put into her car trunk; they all must face the fisherman who is after them with a big hook and it seems like he does not want these kids to live.
I Know What You Did Last Summer has typical Dawson's Creek drama, but it's all good, I mean it was written by Kevin Williamson who wrote the series. But the cast did click very well and as cliché'd as the movie was, it's still good for a scare. Sarah does have one of the best damsel in distress chase scenes ever, that was pretty intense I have to admit. I Know What You Did Last Summer is a fun flick I would recommend to watch at midnight in the dark, you're gonna get jumpy a few times.
7/10
Four high school friends have graduated and are celebrating the fourth of July. They all have big plans: Julie is planning to go to Harvard, Helen is going to New York to become an actress, Ray is staying in town to help with the business of fishing, and Barry has a wrestling scholarship. They all are just having a big party and while driving home they accidentally hit a man, killing him. Freaked out and scarred for what might happen since alcohol is involved, they dump the body in the river hoping that it'll go away. But a year later when the friends re-unite, they are receiving letters claiming that someone knows what they did. Barry is then hit by a car, Helen's hair is chopped off, and Julie gets bodies put into her car trunk; they all must face the fisherman who is after them with a big hook and it seems like he does not want these kids to live.
I Know What You Did Last Summer has typical Dawson's Creek drama, but it's all good, I mean it was written by Kevin Williamson who wrote the series. But the cast did click very well and as cliché'd as the movie was, it's still good for a scare. Sarah does have one of the best damsel in distress chase scenes ever, that was pretty intense I have to admit. I Know What You Did Last Summer is a fun flick I would recommend to watch at midnight in the dark, you're gonna get jumpy a few times.
7/10
Happy Birthday Sarah Michelle
lastliberal14 April 2007
I haven't seen a whole lot of teen slasher movies. In fact this may be the only one I have seen, and it is a fitting tribute of the genre for our birthday girl, Sarah Michelle Geller.
Writer Kevin Williamson follows up Scream with a serious example of just how effective these movies can be if they're well-written, directed and acted.
Sarah Michelle Geller (Buffy, TMNT) and Jenniver Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer) fit perfectly together and are supported by Ryan Phillippe (Crash, Breach, Flags of Our Fathers) and Freddie Prinze Jr. Why does that sentence sound naughty? If I had to watch one film of this type, I'm glad this was it.
Writer Kevin Williamson follows up Scream with a serious example of just how effective these movies can be if they're well-written, directed and acted.
Sarah Michelle Geller (Buffy, TMNT) and Jenniver Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer) fit perfectly together and are supported by Ryan Phillippe (Crash, Breach, Flags of Our Fathers) and Freddie Prinze Jr. Why does that sentence sound naughty? If I had to watch one film of this type, I'm glad this was it.
Entertaining
Op_Prime24 April 2000
I Know What You Did Last Summer is an obvious attempt to cash in on the big success of the Scream movies. Compared to them and many of the other horror classics (Halloween most notably), this movie just does not measure up, but it is still entertaining. There is a sense of mystery here that really hasn't existed in slasher movies since the first Nightmare on Elm Street. You don't know who the killer is and he's always hiding in the shadows until... you know. This movie is far from perfect but entertaining.
I love this movie.
CanadianRose1427 August 2006
When I first watched this movie I only watched it for Sarah Michelle Gellar. But after seeing it I loved everything about it. And I came on here expecting at least a 6.5. But a 5.2? The story is original. Four teens are in great danger one year after their car hits a stranger whose body they dump in the sea. Everyone gave great performances, esp. Sarah Michelle Gellar. On top of that, this movie was frightening. This movie is great and I definitely recommend it. It is definitely a movie you should watch for both entertainment and originality purposes. It is definitely one to see if you enjoyed 'Scream'. The many plot twists and the many scares it will give you makes it an excellent movie.
Had Real Potential
dougdoepke2 January 2022
The horror flick's first part made me think I was really on to something. What with the lonely boy sitting alone on a seaside rock, gazing into the waters of eternity, and later, the two teen girls peering frantically into the source of the dark menace encircling them. The result was a force of mysterious doom hanging heavily over the four teens, and seemingly all because they failed to report the accidental death their car caused along a rocky coastline road. So what did the lonely gazing boy have to do with the sudden shift to the horrorific events that followed. Needless to say, I was glued to the screen during this early part.
Trouble is the many story threads evolved in a murky, clotted style that fails to carry out the initial potential, settling instead for chase scenes, sometimes nightmarish but still over-done and over-stretched. It's like the screenplay and director are unsure how to develop the storyline, so they settle for an easier unscripted way out. Nonetheless, actress Hewitt carries the show, deserving triple pay for her demanding efforts, and a lasting career, as well. Then too, I'm glad the bloody gore was kept to a digestable minimum, the gruesome chase scenes more than sufficing.
All in all, what the story potential needs is a re-make, less concerned with teen box-office and more concerned with creating a lasting horror movie classic. The potential is there, but I'm not holding my breath.
Trouble is the many story threads evolved in a murky, clotted style that fails to carry out the initial potential, settling instead for chase scenes, sometimes nightmarish but still over-done and over-stretched. It's like the screenplay and director are unsure how to develop the storyline, so they settle for an easier unscripted way out. Nonetheless, actress Hewitt carries the show, deserving triple pay for her demanding efforts, and a lasting career, as well. Then too, I'm glad the bloody gore was kept to a digestable minimum, the gruesome chase scenes more than sufficing.
All in all, what the story potential needs is a re-make, less concerned with teen box-office and more concerned with creating a lasting horror movie classic. The potential is there, but I'm not holding my breath.
Well, the title's pretty good
Spleen20 August 2000
"I Know What You Did Last Summer" joins "The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" as being yet another film that doesn't even come close to living up to its inspired title. All are bad enough to make me angry at the thought of a good title being squandered.
Kevin Williamson's script suggests nothing so much as a man trying, and failing, to capture the charm of the first couple of seasons of "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" - this is more obviously a good description of "Scream", but "Scream", and this may surprise some people who've seen it, is better. -Or maybe he wasn't even trying. I'm not sure which is worse. I think Williamson WAS trying for a quality we might term "cred", by having his central characters bitch and squabble all the time. Friends in "Buffy", on the other hand, genuinely support one another. That's a large part of the show's charm. It's a charm that could only have helped Williamson's script, if only by making it more realistic: however much his central characters might have fought amongst themselves in the ordinary course of events, faced with a powerful EXTERNAL threat, they would surely have closed ranks.
Neither this nor "Scream" is particularly bad. The main trouble is that "I Know What You Did Last Summer", as well as wasting a good title, also wastes a good premise. Some teenagers feel guilty after their car accidentally knocks someone down; they hide the body and then they THINK they can just safely sneak back to their old lives ... the story could have gone in many good directions from here, and it's a pity all that occurred to Williamson was to head for regions slasher-horror so well travelled I'm surprised they don't sell souvenirs.
Kevin Williamson's script suggests nothing so much as a man trying, and failing, to capture the charm of the first couple of seasons of "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" - this is more obviously a good description of "Scream", but "Scream", and this may surprise some people who've seen it, is better. -Or maybe he wasn't even trying. I'm not sure which is worse. I think Williamson WAS trying for a quality we might term "cred", by having his central characters bitch and squabble all the time. Friends in "Buffy", on the other hand, genuinely support one another. That's a large part of the show's charm. It's a charm that could only have helped Williamson's script, if only by making it more realistic: however much his central characters might have fought amongst themselves in the ordinary course of events, faced with a powerful EXTERNAL threat, they would surely have closed ranks.
Neither this nor "Scream" is particularly bad. The main trouble is that "I Know What You Did Last Summer", as well as wasting a good title, also wastes a good premise. Some teenagers feel guilty after their car accidentally knocks someone down; they hide the body and then they THINK they can just safely sneak back to their old lives ... the story could have gone in many good directions from here, and it's a pity all that occurred to Williamson was to head for regions slasher-horror so well travelled I'm surprised they don't sell souvenirs.
Fun, A Classic Chase Scene, and a Great performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar
Red_Identity20 September 2007
This film is great! The ACTING IS BETTER THAN IN MOST HORROR FILMS ALSO. Freddie Prinze Jr i the only one that fails to capture emotion. Jennifer Love Hewitt gives great acting in the actual scene where they hit the man, but other than that she is okay. Ryan Phillipe is also great, but its easy to play an air head that curses and is mad at everyone. The best performance has to be given by Sarah Michelle Gellar. She is great going from a natural beauty, to a scared off helpless girl. She conveys emotions well and her chase scene in this film is a classic. I would recommend this film for that reason only. Its fun, but kinda forgettable after a while. Anne Heche also gives a very good performance, even if its small. See it. You will be entertained.
A slasher with one of the best tension filled chase sequence.
Fella_shibby5 March 2017
I first saw this in 1997 in Sterling theater, South Mumbai with my friends.
Revisited it recently on a dvd which i own.
This is writer Kevin Williamson's follow up to the successful Scream. So expectations were high.
Director Jim Gillespie (D-tox and Venom) did a good job in creating enuff suspense n tension.
The ending ain't predictable but it ain't effective also. There is less body count n the gore effect is mild.
But the killer in a raincoat with a hook is an effective n intimidating one.
One of the most memorable n tension filled scene is the scene in the alley, with Gellar jus ten feet away from a musical parade/safety n the killer chasing her.
The second one is the car in a wooded lane in broad daylight parked outside Anne Heche's house. Yeah u heard right. Heche in a small role.
Revisited it recently on a dvd which i own.
This is writer Kevin Williamson's follow up to the successful Scream. So expectations were high.
Director Jim Gillespie (D-tox and Venom) did a good job in creating enuff suspense n tension.
The ending ain't predictable but it ain't effective also. There is less body count n the gore effect is mild.
But the killer in a raincoat with a hook is an effective n intimidating one.
One of the most memorable n tension filled scene is the scene in the alley, with Gellar jus ten feet away from a musical parade/safety n the killer chasing her.
The second one is the car in a wooded lane in broad daylight parked outside Anne Heche's house. Yeah u heard right. Heche in a small role.
A total classic
HotToastyRag17 July 2022
What a perfectly 1990s cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe. There have been many sequels in the franchise, but there's nothing quite like the original I Know What You Did Last Summer. Totally tame by today's standards, this is my type of horror movie: one that's not too scary. It's much more of a thriller, with jump scares, ominous music, and beautiful girls gasping and screaming while their makeup still looks perfect.
Every once in a while, it's enormous fun to have a retro Halloween night and rent all the old scary movies. It adds nostalgia and reminds you of all those idyllic Halloweens when you were younger; if it's been a while since you've seen this one, rent it in the fall. It pairs very well with the first Scream and Final Destination. There's nothing juicier than a group of friends being tied together by secrets and crimes from their past, is there? That's why Pretty Little Liars was so successful! For a world without cell phones, old school slang, and cute fashions (can't we bring back crop tops?), this movie is a keeper.
Every once in a while, it's enormous fun to have a retro Halloween night and rent all the old scary movies. It adds nostalgia and reminds you of all those idyllic Halloweens when you were younger; if it's been a while since you've seen this one, rent it in the fall. It pairs very well with the first Scream and Final Destination. There's nothing juicier than a group of friends being tied together by secrets and crimes from their past, is there? That's why Pretty Little Liars was so successful! For a world without cell phones, old school slang, and cute fashions (can't we bring back crop tops?), this movie is a keeper.
Exciting slasher flick!
OllieSuave-00715 January 2014
The 1990s was known for its teenage and young adult horror/slasher movies and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is what I think one of the more memorable and exciting slasher flicks from that decade.
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddy Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe star as four friends who, after a wild night at a Fourth of July outdoor party, accidentally hit a man on a road at night with their car. They dump the body in hopes of covering up the accident and try to get on with their lives afterward. A year later, one by one, they start receiving notes with the words "I Know What You Did Last Summer" written on it, and soon, a terrible course of events start happening to them.
The acting is pretty good, believable and emotional, but not over-the-top, although Freddy Prinze could have used a little more emotion and tension; he seemed a little too monotone and stiff. The plot was fast-paced and exciting, keeping the audience entertained, especially in the parts where horrific pranks and deadly events take place around the four teenagers after they discover that someone learned of their hit-and-run accident the year before. How the accident made a negative impact on their friendships were also brilliantly acted out in the movie, and then when the teens had to put their differences aside to take on the menace is intriguing to watch.
Many horror movies get by with excessive gore, blood, killings and campy acting. This one actually has a story, suspense and descent acting. It's a good one to enjoy on a Friday night, on Halloween or a horror marathon.
Grade B+
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddy Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe star as four friends who, after a wild night at a Fourth of July outdoor party, accidentally hit a man on a road at night with their car. They dump the body in hopes of covering up the accident and try to get on with their lives afterward. A year later, one by one, they start receiving notes with the words "I Know What You Did Last Summer" written on it, and soon, a terrible course of events start happening to them.
The acting is pretty good, believable and emotional, but not over-the-top, although Freddy Prinze could have used a little more emotion and tension; he seemed a little too monotone and stiff. The plot was fast-paced and exciting, keeping the audience entertained, especially in the parts where horrific pranks and deadly events take place around the four teenagers after they discover that someone learned of their hit-and-run accident the year before. How the accident made a negative impact on their friendships were also brilliantly acted out in the movie, and then when the teens had to put their differences aside to take on the menace is intriguing to watch.
Many horror movies get by with excessive gore, blood, killings and campy acting. This one actually has a story, suspense and descent acting. It's a good one to enjoy on a Friday night, on Halloween or a horror marathon.
Grade B+
One of the Better Post-Scream Slashers
Michael_Elliott16 June 2015
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
*** (out of 4)
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze, Jr. play a group of friends who are drinking and having a good time but on the way home they accidentally run over a man and kill him. They decide it's best not to go to the police fearing murder charges so they dump his body but a year later they begin getting harassed.
Thanks to the success of Wes Craven's SCREAM the horror genre got a boost and soon after one slasher after another was being released. Out of all of them this one here is the best in my opinion because Kevin Williamson's screenplay goes away from all the self-mocking and instead delivers a very good story that works perfect as a drama but it also features the horror elements that slasher fans would come to expect. Throw in a very good cast and some likable characters and we're left with one of the better horror films to come out of this period. If SCREAM was a classic like HALLOWEEN then this here is more like a good stepchild in the same vein as a Friday THE 13TH.
The thing I enjoyed most about this was the actual personal story of these four people who find their lives changed over a bad decision. The set up itself is pretty simple but it works extremely well because we've all been young and made foolish decisions and one of the best moments in the film comes when the four teens must decide whether or not to go to the cops. Their reasoning behind it is interesting and their thought process is something you don't typically see in a slasher. The damage that their decision has on their lives is something else brought up in the screenplay that works extremely well. All of this happens before we even get to the horror elements. The mystery surrounding the killer keeps you guessing for certain.
The horror elements are all extremely good. I know some make fun of the "Captain Gordon" outfit but I thought it was rather effective and brought back memories from the giallo days of the 70s when killers wore nothing but black. Another thing that works are the actual chase scenes, which director Jim Gillespie manages to build up some nice tension. It also doesn't hurt that you actually like the characters, can connect with them and you don't want to see them killed. Hewitt, Gellar and Phillippe are all extremely good and believable in their roles as is Anne Heche in her supporting bit. Prinze Jr. is probably better here than anytime in his career, although that's not too much support I'm giving him.
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER certainly has a few flaws including the movie getting dragged out in the third party but overall it's a highlight of what the genre had to offer after the success of SCREAM.
*** (out of 4)
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze, Jr. play a group of friends who are drinking and having a good time but on the way home they accidentally run over a man and kill him. They decide it's best not to go to the police fearing murder charges so they dump his body but a year later they begin getting harassed.
Thanks to the success of Wes Craven's SCREAM the horror genre got a boost and soon after one slasher after another was being released. Out of all of them this one here is the best in my opinion because Kevin Williamson's screenplay goes away from all the self-mocking and instead delivers a very good story that works perfect as a drama but it also features the horror elements that slasher fans would come to expect. Throw in a very good cast and some likable characters and we're left with one of the better horror films to come out of this period. If SCREAM was a classic like HALLOWEEN then this here is more like a good stepchild in the same vein as a Friday THE 13TH.
The thing I enjoyed most about this was the actual personal story of these four people who find their lives changed over a bad decision. The set up itself is pretty simple but it works extremely well because we've all been young and made foolish decisions and one of the best moments in the film comes when the four teens must decide whether or not to go to the cops. Their reasoning behind it is interesting and their thought process is something you don't typically see in a slasher. The damage that their decision has on their lives is something else brought up in the screenplay that works extremely well. All of this happens before we even get to the horror elements. The mystery surrounding the killer keeps you guessing for certain.
The horror elements are all extremely good. I know some make fun of the "Captain Gordon" outfit but I thought it was rather effective and brought back memories from the giallo days of the 70s when killers wore nothing but black. Another thing that works are the actual chase scenes, which director Jim Gillespie manages to build up some nice tension. It also doesn't hurt that you actually like the characters, can connect with them and you don't want to see them killed. Hewitt, Gellar and Phillippe are all extremely good and believable in their roles as is Anne Heche in her supporting bit. Prinze Jr. is probably better here than anytime in his career, although that's not too much support I'm giving him.
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER certainly has a few flaws including the movie getting dragged out in the third party but overall it's a highlight of what the genre had to offer after the success of SCREAM.
Horrible
refinedsugar14 March 2001
Popular horror films have always been responsible for the spawning of really bad imitations and clones. It's a fact. So flash forward to 1996 and Scream comes along. It proceeds to rake in quite the sum of dough. Suddenly horror movies are hot property and yet again another wave of really bad imitations looking to cash in are unleashed on us. Perhaps the worst? 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'.
Bought to us by the man who wrote Scream, Kevin Williamson, this movie is absolutely void of anything redeeming in my book. It's not scary, it's not entertaining. The title literally tells the tale of how four stereotypical teens (acting like all ill-responsible teens do in movies of this sort) accidentally kill a man with their car. They make a pact to keep it secret except (oops) someone knows. Soon they get letters with the self-entitled words "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and I'm left to assume the letters are coming from that dude in a rain slicker walking around with a fish hook.
Making matters ten times worse is how anyone is supposed to like or care about any of the main characters. Only the makers of this film know. How are we supposed to be sympathetic towards them after they kill someone and hide it? Have I missed something here? It's not like their awful personalities are winning me over. When they are faced with certain death, I didn't care. When some of them meet their gruesome demise, I didn't care. I seriously doubt it was the intention to make the killer an anti-hero too. This flick is so pedestrian in its making and execution that it couldn't think outside of the box if it's life depended on it.
Scenes are telecast from miles away. There's a foray of stalking, red herrings, extended chase sequences, girls screaming loudly and the killer who can disappear and reappear inhumanly fast. Have I mentioned the "hot" soundtrack and the obligatory sequel smelling finale yet? 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' was the first, but not the last in a line of bad horror flicks that will invade our theaters and television sets and I can't imagine it getting any worse than this.
Bought to us by the man who wrote Scream, Kevin Williamson, this movie is absolutely void of anything redeeming in my book. It's not scary, it's not entertaining. The title literally tells the tale of how four stereotypical teens (acting like all ill-responsible teens do in movies of this sort) accidentally kill a man with their car. They make a pact to keep it secret except (oops) someone knows. Soon they get letters with the self-entitled words "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and I'm left to assume the letters are coming from that dude in a rain slicker walking around with a fish hook.
Making matters ten times worse is how anyone is supposed to like or care about any of the main characters. Only the makers of this film know. How are we supposed to be sympathetic towards them after they kill someone and hide it? Have I missed something here? It's not like their awful personalities are winning me over. When they are faced with certain death, I didn't care. When some of them meet their gruesome demise, I didn't care. I seriously doubt it was the intention to make the killer an anti-hero too. This flick is so pedestrian in its making and execution that it couldn't think outside of the box if it's life depended on it.
Scenes are telecast from miles away. There's a foray of stalking, red herrings, extended chase sequences, girls screaming loudly and the killer who can disappear and reappear inhumanly fast. Have I mentioned the "hot" soundtrack and the obligatory sequel smelling finale yet? 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' was the first, but not the last in a line of bad horror flicks that will invade our theaters and television sets and I can't imagine it getting any worse than this.
At least it's better than the sequel
baumer30 August 1999
I like Kevin Williamson. Scream was a brilliant parody of horror films while being scary in its own right and Dawson's Creek is a great television show. But this film is just not that good. It's not scary. It's not well written or well thought out. There really was no reason for guy from Rosanne to get killed. He had nothing to do with it. And it is the same thing in the sequel, most of the cast has nothing to do with it either. I didn't find this flick scary in the least although the story at the beginning was interesting. It is blessed with a cast of incredibly good looking people but that does not make it a good film to watch. If you really enjoy seeing Love Hewitt running around with her breasts half exposed, Gellar looking particularly sexy, Phillipe trying to box, Prinze Jr. looking silly, stupid characters that do stupid things, unconvincing deaths, a trunk full of fish that conveniently disappears (smell and all) when it is required to, someone get a hair cut in their sleep without knowing it and a plethora of other really bad scenarios, then this is your movie. However, if you want to see a good horror flick with teenagers getting killed, rent the early Fridays, the first Halloween, the first Nightmare, the first Texas, the first Evil Dead and even Scream. But for God sake, stay away from this one. It is quite bad.
Awesome slasher movie!
movies2u14 May 2001
This movie is completely brilliant! Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Ryan Phillipe are great in this movie! It did have it's share of blood and gore, but it was very enjoyable! I highly reccomend this movie! If I had to grade it, I'd give it a A+!
Watch SCREAM instead
Xophianic6 February 2000
I saw SCREAM and SCREAM 2 before I saw I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. I think that I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER is a rip-off of SCREAM, but a rip-off that can be enjoyed. Plots are similar, but not identical. It also has the similar pretty-teenager-being-stabbed-to-death feel to it.
On graduation night, four friends Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.) go joyriding while drunk and accidentally run over and supposedly kill somebody in the street. While dumping the body in a bay, the body attacks Barry, then falls into the water. The four assume that he is dead, but the next summer they get notes saying "I know what you did last summer". The next thing you know, friends of the four are being murdered left and right and these four become the killer's next targets.
The plot is fair, but not especially interesting. I found the SCREAM plot to be much better. The acting and character development in SCREAM are better too. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar both do excellent jobs. Freddie Prinze Jr. is the worst actor I've ever seen in my life, and Ryan Phillippe does a fair job. Ann Heche is very good in the part that she has.
The characters, aside from Hewitt, Gellar and Heche, are very thin and rather boring. The killer himself is pretty interesting and fairly cool. The ending of this movie bites. It's maybe worth a rent, but if you want to see a movie of this style I'd recommend URBAN LEGENDS or SCREAM.
On graduation night, four friends Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.) go joyriding while drunk and accidentally run over and supposedly kill somebody in the street. While dumping the body in a bay, the body attacks Barry, then falls into the water. The four assume that he is dead, but the next summer they get notes saying "I know what you did last summer". The next thing you know, friends of the four are being murdered left and right and these four become the killer's next targets.
The plot is fair, but not especially interesting. I found the SCREAM plot to be much better. The acting and character development in SCREAM are better too. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar both do excellent jobs. Freddie Prinze Jr. is the worst actor I've ever seen in my life, and Ryan Phillippe does a fair job. Ann Heche is very good in the part that she has.
The characters, aside from Hewitt, Gellar and Heche, are very thin and rather boring. The killer himself is pretty interesting and fairly cool. The ending of this movie bites. It's maybe worth a rent, but if you want to see a movie of this style I'd recommend URBAN LEGENDS or SCREAM.
A decent teen slasher film, but one can't help feeling that Kevin Williamson missed a big chance to send up traditional horror archetypes once more...
Extraordinary_Machine21 April 2005
I Know What You Did Last Summer
It's the Fourth of July, and Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt, TV's "Party of Five"), Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), and Barry (Ryan Phillippe) are intent on celebrating their graduation from high school, which, for them, means driving to a secluded beach, getting drunk, telling ghost stories and making out with each other. But later that evening, on the way back to town, they accidentally hit a man with their car, apparently killing him. After thinking things through, the group reluctantly decides to dump the body in the sea, and swear to take the secret of what they did that night to their graves. One year later, a still guilt-ridden Julie returns from college to her hometown, and finds an incriminating message in the mail: somebody knows what they did last summer. After rounding up her circle of former friends, she tries to figure out who alive could have seen them leave a man for dead. But the events surrounding the accident may be more complicated than any of them had originally thought.
Last year, screenwriter Kevin Williamson came out of nowhere with 'Scream, a self-referential satire on the teen slasher oeuvre wrapped warmly in classic Wes Craven thrills. Unexpectedly, but deservedly, a surprise runaway box office success followed. Based on the reception of his feature debut, and before Craven and the folks at Dimension came knocking for a 'Scream' sequel (due out this winter), Williamson took it upon himself to bring author Lois Duncan's novel 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' to the big screen. The end product is a decent teen slasher film, but one can't help feeling that Williamson missed a big chance to send up traditional horror archetypes once more.
As the world of 'Last Summer' wasn't originally Williamson's own creation, it's to be expected that the film not be strung through with the same knowing streak of humour that was the driving force behind 'Scream'. Or maybe it's just that Williamson had grown tired of the same old jokes, and opted to shun them out of 'Last Summer' altogether. But through opting to stay within the lines for his latest film, Williamson has gutted what made his first so special. Sadly, 'Last Summer' does not stand apart from the crowd of horror films that Kevin Williamson so skilfully mocked ten months ago. That said, this is perhaps the first slasher film to come out since 'Scream', and, against the odds, this serves to the film's advantage, as it's almost quite enjoyable watching the clichés play out in front of you exactly as predicted.
Ironically, British director Jim Gillespie ('Joyride'), in his first Hollywood production, has made a good effort to mimic the works of Wes Craven, specifically with the commanding score by John Debney. Marco Beltrami's work on 'Scream' is the template used by Debney here, and the versatile composer manages to accentuate the tension well, despite signalling some of the scares. However, Gillespie makes the mistake of depicting the death scenes too graphically. Gore could have been used well in 'Last Summer', but Gillespie leaves the camera rolling for too long during the vicious attacks on the killer's victims, which end up more repulsive than anything. Gillespie ain't no Craven, that's for sure.
The cast (or should I say group of attractive teens that are waiting to be offed?) also seem to be taking this project a little too unsmilingly, with actors Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe more concerned with trying to see which one of them can ham it up the most than actually developing characters worth caring about. Jennifer Love Hewitt is decent enough here, but her performance never fully convinces. It's up to Sarah Michelle Gellar to strap ably into "damsel in distress" mode (something that the actress should know about, starring on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" week after week), and does more than necessary to make the audience truly feel for Helen Shivers as she laments her shattered dreams. Jamie Lee Curtis, you might want to keep an eye on your Scream Queen coronet.
The final act of the film is hard to resist, as it stages a series of nice set pieces that keep you close to the edge of your seat at all times, right up to the agreeably trite, sequel-friendly ending. But Williamson needs to learn how to wean the parody away from his screenplays without completely robbing them of any innovativeness. I admire the man for not repeating himself, but he seems to have progressed right into a career corner with 'Last Summer'. 'Scream 2' will most likely return him to the top of the pyramid once again, but I'd rather not think about what might happen after that.
~ 7/10 ~
It's the Fourth of July, and Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt, TV's "Party of Five"), Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), and Barry (Ryan Phillippe) are intent on celebrating their graduation from high school, which, for them, means driving to a secluded beach, getting drunk, telling ghost stories and making out with each other. But later that evening, on the way back to town, they accidentally hit a man with their car, apparently killing him. After thinking things through, the group reluctantly decides to dump the body in the sea, and swear to take the secret of what they did that night to their graves. One year later, a still guilt-ridden Julie returns from college to her hometown, and finds an incriminating message in the mail: somebody knows what they did last summer. After rounding up her circle of former friends, she tries to figure out who alive could have seen them leave a man for dead. But the events surrounding the accident may be more complicated than any of them had originally thought.
Last year, screenwriter Kevin Williamson came out of nowhere with 'Scream, a self-referential satire on the teen slasher oeuvre wrapped warmly in classic Wes Craven thrills. Unexpectedly, but deservedly, a surprise runaway box office success followed. Based on the reception of his feature debut, and before Craven and the folks at Dimension came knocking for a 'Scream' sequel (due out this winter), Williamson took it upon himself to bring author Lois Duncan's novel 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' to the big screen. The end product is a decent teen slasher film, but one can't help feeling that Williamson missed a big chance to send up traditional horror archetypes once more.
As the world of 'Last Summer' wasn't originally Williamson's own creation, it's to be expected that the film not be strung through with the same knowing streak of humour that was the driving force behind 'Scream'. Or maybe it's just that Williamson had grown tired of the same old jokes, and opted to shun them out of 'Last Summer' altogether. But through opting to stay within the lines for his latest film, Williamson has gutted what made his first so special. Sadly, 'Last Summer' does not stand apart from the crowd of horror films that Kevin Williamson so skilfully mocked ten months ago. That said, this is perhaps the first slasher film to come out since 'Scream', and, against the odds, this serves to the film's advantage, as it's almost quite enjoyable watching the clichés play out in front of you exactly as predicted.
Ironically, British director Jim Gillespie ('Joyride'), in his first Hollywood production, has made a good effort to mimic the works of Wes Craven, specifically with the commanding score by John Debney. Marco Beltrami's work on 'Scream' is the template used by Debney here, and the versatile composer manages to accentuate the tension well, despite signalling some of the scares. However, Gillespie makes the mistake of depicting the death scenes too graphically. Gore could have been used well in 'Last Summer', but Gillespie leaves the camera rolling for too long during the vicious attacks on the killer's victims, which end up more repulsive than anything. Gillespie ain't no Craven, that's for sure.
The cast (or should I say group of attractive teens that are waiting to be offed?) also seem to be taking this project a little too unsmilingly, with actors Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe more concerned with trying to see which one of them can ham it up the most than actually developing characters worth caring about. Jennifer Love Hewitt is decent enough here, but her performance never fully convinces. It's up to Sarah Michelle Gellar to strap ably into "damsel in distress" mode (something that the actress should know about, starring on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" week after week), and does more than necessary to make the audience truly feel for Helen Shivers as she laments her shattered dreams. Jamie Lee Curtis, you might want to keep an eye on your Scream Queen coronet.
The final act of the film is hard to resist, as it stages a series of nice set pieces that keep you close to the edge of your seat at all times, right up to the agreeably trite, sequel-friendly ending. But Williamson needs to learn how to wean the parody away from his screenplays without completely robbing them of any innovativeness. I admire the man for not repeating himself, but he seems to have progressed right into a career corner with 'Last Summer'. 'Scream 2' will most likely return him to the top of the pyramid once again, but I'd rather not think about what might happen after that.
~ 7/10 ~
Not worth the effort
Gafke10 April 2004
The best part of this film comes with the opening credits, when we hear Type O Negative's excellent rendition of the cheesy old Seals & Crofts song "Summer Breeze." Unfortunately, the song soon ends and the movie starts.
This film bears little resemblance to the book upon which it was based, which is a shame because the book was really quite good. The book was about four teens who strike a young boy with their car, accidentally killing him. The boys' older brother tracks them down when one of the girls sends flowers to the funeral. It was a story about taking responsibility for your actions, and about the different (and extreme) ways that guilt and grief affect us all. The movie version, however, scraps all that and gives us a hook-handed slasher who cannot be stopped and will not die. It's Jason Voorhees on the beach.
The teens are all flawlessly beautiful and perfectly one-dimensional, although Jennifer Love-Hewitt does try to convey a severe case of guilty conscience and mostly succeeds. The story quickly becomes ridiculous as crabs are stuffed into the trunk of a car and then inexplicably disappear (I suppose if you were H. P. Lovecraft, this might be considered scary) and one girl is subjected to the spine- tingling terror of a professional haircut while she sleeps! Oh god, the horror! The Fisherman (wow, what a terror inspiring nickname - next we'll have the Mailman or the Burger Chef, I guess) stalks silently through the film in his yellow rain slicker and floppy hat, impaling people on his silver steel hook. And I didn't care about any of the victims. Granted, you're not really supposed to care much about the characters in a film like this, but this is far from innovative stuff here; there's just nothing to appreciate. I was bored silly with this one. Give me Friday the 13th any day.
This film bears little resemblance to the book upon which it was based, which is a shame because the book was really quite good. The book was about four teens who strike a young boy with their car, accidentally killing him. The boys' older brother tracks them down when one of the girls sends flowers to the funeral. It was a story about taking responsibility for your actions, and about the different (and extreme) ways that guilt and grief affect us all. The movie version, however, scraps all that and gives us a hook-handed slasher who cannot be stopped and will not die. It's Jason Voorhees on the beach.
The teens are all flawlessly beautiful and perfectly one-dimensional, although Jennifer Love-Hewitt does try to convey a severe case of guilty conscience and mostly succeeds. The story quickly becomes ridiculous as crabs are stuffed into the trunk of a car and then inexplicably disappear (I suppose if you were H. P. Lovecraft, this might be considered scary) and one girl is subjected to the spine- tingling terror of a professional haircut while she sleeps! Oh god, the horror! The Fisherman (wow, what a terror inspiring nickname - next we'll have the Mailman or the Burger Chef, I guess) stalks silently through the film in his yellow rain slicker and floppy hat, impaling people on his silver steel hook. And I didn't care about any of the victims. Granted, you're not really supposed to care much about the characters in a film like this, but this is far from innovative stuff here; there's just nothing to appreciate. I was bored silly with this one. Give me Friday the 13th any day.
Just another poor horror-flick
action-617 June 2000
I know that I shouldn`t write a review on this film, because these new horror-flicks starring perfect-looking young people are not my favorite cup of tea, but I have decided to write about it since a scream-loving friend of mine made me watch this "classic". The movie is about a couple of students who "accidently" kills a man, but he is not really dead when they leave him, because a year later the students involved get a note that says: "I know what you did last summer", hence the title. The acting is so bad, its funny and there isn`t any shock and tension in the horror-scenes. Most of the characters are annoying, which means that you don`t care about them when they are killed by the evil bogeyman. Overall, this is a crap movie than any Scream-junkie and fan of bad horror-movies should see. 1,5/10
Ultra boring
alansabljakovic-3904419 November 2019
Doesn't live up to the hype
ThatDarnIrishMan019 September 2023
I've been on a slasher kick recently and realised I'd never actually seen this despite seeing it parodied a fair few times.
It's just very flat. The characters are just nothing which is surprising when there are so few of them. We have the bland boyfriend, the jock boyfriend, the head cheerleader girlfriend and the bland girlfriend. The killer then has no personality. He's not a powerful force of nature, he's a none entity until the last few minutes when they just introduce him as some random dude who wanted revenge.
Since we only have 4 main characters, they needed to just kill off two random towns people and some weird "nice guy" stereotype but all of them are odd. Why kill some random cop if you're only getting revenge on these teens and he's not actually in your way? Why kill the random store worker when you were already passed her and could easily kill the girl you wanted? Why kill the "nice guy"? He had nothing to do with anything. It just doesn't fit with the killers motive of wanting revenge on these 4 teenagers for the hit and run.
So, we have four bland characters who are paper thin and a killer whose motivation is very weak with nothing interesting about him outside of his murder weapon. With a very low body count, barely any gore and pretty mediocre performances from everyone, it just is very forgettable.
It's just very flat. The characters are just nothing which is surprising when there are so few of them. We have the bland boyfriend, the jock boyfriend, the head cheerleader girlfriend and the bland girlfriend. The killer then has no personality. He's not a powerful force of nature, he's a none entity until the last few minutes when they just introduce him as some random dude who wanted revenge.
Since we only have 4 main characters, they needed to just kill off two random towns people and some weird "nice guy" stereotype but all of them are odd. Why kill some random cop if you're only getting revenge on these teens and he's not actually in your way? Why kill the random store worker when you were already passed her and could easily kill the girl you wanted? Why kill the "nice guy"? He had nothing to do with anything. It just doesn't fit with the killers motive of wanting revenge on these 4 teenagers for the hit and run.
So, we have four bland characters who are paper thin and a killer whose motivation is very weak with nothing interesting about him outside of his murder weapon. With a very low body count, barely any gore and pretty mediocre performances from everyone, it just is very forgettable.
Everyone should love this film!
lastact1 February 2000
Exactly, everyone should - but why? Because it is an excellent film, containing a good storyline (though not one of the best) and some promising new actors and actresses. In regards to the storyline, not many viewers realise that the film was actually based on a novel written before Kevin Williamson even thought up the idea to create another horror flick - therefore the general outline is not his, and so some people's comparisons between this and Scream can be considered as wrong. However, they are right in the sense that the typical horror elements are all there, and some are similar to Scream. I feel that the statement on the video cover "scarier than Scream" is to some extent true, especially the climatic ending (I won't spoil it for any of you left to see the film)!
I enjoyed the acting performances, though sometimes the screams did get slightly out of hand - near the end, one popped up every other minute or so! Despite this, the characters were portrayed very well, and you could really notice the distinctions between them, and which characters you were likely to prefer. However one drawback to the characters was how obvious it was to spot who was going to bite it - all my sister had to do was look at the characters in a group and guess straight away.
On the whole though, I found it to be a good horror film, done proud by the talents of writer Kevin Williamson and of the cast. If you are looking for a good scare, or simply taste other films after experiencing the wonder that is "Scream", then "IKWYDLS" should be your first choice - with its many 'jumps' making you enjoy the ride all the way!
ENJOY, and most importantly, SCREAM ON!!!
I enjoyed the acting performances, though sometimes the screams did get slightly out of hand - near the end, one popped up every other minute or so! Despite this, the characters were portrayed very well, and you could really notice the distinctions between them, and which characters you were likely to prefer. However one drawback to the characters was how obvious it was to spot who was going to bite it - all my sister had to do was look at the characters in a group and guess straight away.
On the whole though, I found it to be a good horror film, done proud by the talents of writer Kevin Williamson and of the cast. If you are looking for a good scare, or simply taste other films after experiencing the wonder that is "Scream", then "IKWYDLS" should be your first choice - with its many 'jumps' making you enjoy the ride all the way!
ENJOY, and most importantly, SCREAM ON!!!
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