I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) User Reviews

Run-Of-The-Mill Slasher Sequel, But Pretty Entertaining.

[drownsoda90 · 6/10 · 4 June 2007]

"I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" follows Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who is still suffering from the memories of her friends' murders by a vengeful fisherman who she and her friends had accidentally hit with their car and disposed of his body, thinking him to be dead. Her college friend, Karla (Brandy Norwood) wins tickets to the Bahamas via a radio station contest, so she, Karla, Karla's boyfriend, Tyrell (Mekhi Phifer), and a friend Will, head off on vacation. Meanwhile, Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Julie's ex-boyfriend, has an encounter with the fisherman again, and heads to the island to save Julie. But soon enough, bodies begin to pile up on the mostly-deserted island (which is currently in it's storm season) all around Julie and her friends, and it seems the fisherman has returned.

I considered the original "I Know What You Did Last Summer" to be a fairly good slasher movie that evolved during the late '90s. It had a nice revenge-laced premise about teenagers who had to pay the consequences for their mistakes at the hands of a psychotic fisherman, and it was very well done in comparison with most slasher movies of that era. This sequel popped up only a year later, and while it may be very unoriginal, it's still entertaining. In terms of story, the idea was well put together, and the tropical, stormy Bahaman island was the perfect setting for this film to take place, and a nice change from the gloomy coastal town the previous film was set in. I knew a sequel was coming, after the first film succeeded well with audiences, it was nearly inevitable. The violence factor is much more gratuitous in this sequel, it's gore galore for this movie, which wasn't surprising. It seems that way for a lot of horror movie sequels.

Also, being no surprise, this film is almost beyond cliché-ridden. Typical horror set-ups, scares, and character stupidity is present throughout the course of the movie. It's unrealistic a lot of the time, and there are plot holes everywhere, so in that sense, it's a bit of a mess. But on the other hand, despite all of the unrealistic events, I have to admit that this is an extremely entertaining movie. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their role, and Brandy Norwood and Mekhi Phifer play her lively friends. Jennifer Esposito (whose career hadn't quite taken off yet) also plays a worker on the island who the gang teams up with when the fisherman begins to off the island's population. The acting was nothing more than average at best, but it was tolerable (nothing too bad, I have seen much worse). But besides, what can you expect from this type of flick? The film ends with one of those "gotcha!" jump scares quite similar to the ending of the original, and puts a close on this series (unless you count the 2006 direct-to-video sequel that follow this) on a rather silly but fitting note. The entire movie is a little far-fetched, but so what?

Overall, I'd advise anyone who is tired of your run-of-the-mill slasher movies to avoid "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" like the plague, because I can guarantee that they will be sorely disappointed. But for those who enjoy some cheap horror entertainment every once and awhile, this clichéd little slasher sequel is an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours, but don't expect to take any of it seriously. 6/10.

Not as bad as people say

[aprilsfriendorin · 6/10 · 5 November 2021]

I went into this movie expecting it to be absolute trash based on the general consensus of reviews. However, I was plenty surprised. It's not incredible, but it's definitely not as bad as people are saying. I thought it shared a lot of similarities with the first film, and Jack Black was a good addition. The only thing I'd criticize is the unnecessary sexualization of the main teenage girl. And the racist stereotypes. Ok, it's outdated, but it's really not a bad slasher flick.

Pretty much a run of the mill slasher stalks teen flick.

[33Ford · 15 November 1998]

The first "I Know What You Did..." film had a plot to go with the stalking and the suspense. The follow-up film has no story, just your standard slasher stalks and kills teens....as well as anybody else in the film.

However, that said, it still was fun to watch, although maybe a little too graphic for my taste in a couple of spots. Unlike many of the other posted comments, I found Brandy's performance to be very natural and entertaining and of course Love Hewitt is nice too look at too.

The Mekhi Phifer character was too much of a boor and I kept hoping he would get the "hook" sooner than later. The surprise twist at the end did catch me off guard although others have commented that they figured it out in advance.

The movie supposedly takes place on a Bahamian island. Having visited the Bahamas many, many times, the first view of the so-called Bahamas in the movie was a little bit of a shock since these previously perfectly flat islands had now grown mountains and hills along with rock formations jutting out of the ocean. And then when I saw the "Bahamian" resort I was further shocked to see that Mexican architecture had been exported to the Bahamas.

It seems the film makers should either have gone to the Bahamas or made the location in the film be Mexico, where it was actually filmed. Of course Mexico has no remote, lightly populated islands like the Bahamas does so I guess that wouldn't have suited the story. And the Bahamian government probably wouldn't let them film there due to the potential bad impact on tourism.

Despite these quibbles, the movie held my interest and had enough eye candy to keep me watching the screen. I would rate this movie about a 7.5 on a scale of 10.

I already miss Sarah Michelle Gellar...

[makotoshintaro · 5/10 · 18 September 2017]

Now that I re-watched after all these years, I can't really understand why I was a fan of it... Ryan Phillippe was replaced by Mekhi Phifer (a sex maniac, bully-type-of-person), Jennifer Love Hewitt remained the same (a little less irritating to be honest), Freddie Prinze Jr. was actually a lot better than those puppy eyes that haunted me for 1 hour and 41 minutes last night, and Brandy took the best part like Sarah Michelle Gellar did. Well yes, Julie James' best friends have the best characters in both movies. Apart from that, really poor acting, silly lines, totally unnecessary plot twist - to the verge of kitsch - and no real mysterious atmosphere.

no more sequels, please

[lee_eisenberg · 5/10 · 1 December 2006]

Every time that there's a cool new movie, they just have to make a sequel. "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" pretty much repeats everything from the original, minus and plus some cast members. I just hope that they don't make another "know what you did" movie. Not only is there nothing that they can add to the concept, the title is inaccurate: it should be "two summers ago".

So, stick with the original and you won't be disappointed. At least "Scary Movie" spoofed these sorts of movies. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Brandy Norwood, Freddy Prinze Jr., Muse Watson, Mekhi Phifer and Jeffrey Combs.

Guilty pleasure

[rivertam26 · 7/10 · 27 June 2020]

I wasn't a big fan of this when first seeing it. I relished the first film and just thought it was kind of lackluster and dumb. But over the years I've developed a fondness for the films absurdity and ridiculous plotting. I actually enjoy the film a lot now on it's own merits. The chase scenes are fantastically executed and the film is a huge guilty pleasure. This time around Julie and her roommate win a trip to the bahamas and find themselves being hunted by the infamous fisherman. Sexy Freddie Prinze Jr., Mekhi Pfeiffer, Jennifer Esposito and a truly awful Jack Black also star.

Budget: $24m Box Office: $84m

7.5/10

Not as bad as people say

[andrewcousens88 · 7/10 · 28 October 2020]

Hadn't seen this film in years, couldn't even remember that Jack Black was in it! (Uncredited for some reason). Luckily I'd forgotten the ending, although it all came back to me about halfway through. Cheesy and ridiculous but still good fun.

horribly bad

[KoRnY · 1/10 · 24 November 1998]

This movie was so bad, that it left you with this feeling that if there was another sequel, that you would prefer to pay them not to make one. Every death was predictable and the people you really want to die, live. The 1st movie was good because it had a plot. This one is just a follow up. And for those who think the Capitol of Brazil is Rio, this is your movie. It was rated R for (among other things) intense violence by the creators. Intense only if you're a snail. The movie was horrible to say the least and I'd give it zero if I could but I'll give it 1 to be fair, tho' I still want my money back.

They don't make 'em like this any more.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 2 February 2018]

I genuinely love this movie, and can't believe it's now twenty years old, funny where time goes. I thought its predecessor was a mighty fine movie, but this one is even better,

The opening is brilliant, it grabs your attention and sets the tone for the rest of the film. The music is absolutely fantastic, some great tunes throughout, Eden and Sugar is Sweeter (CJ Bolland,) production values are also so good, twenty years old and looks better made then many slashers churned out in the years since.

It's well acted, Jennifer love Hewitt and Brandy both some much fun to watch, certainly vibrant. Some fine shocks throughout, you don't quite know what's coming next. It's a shame it wasn't followed by a sequel, when they did return with I'll always know.... they had totally lost the plot, that was awful.

A fairly nice sequel

[ahmed_razzak-15605 · 7/10 · 27 December 2021]

Sequel to it's previous years installation I Know What You Did Last Summer . So here's I Still Know What You Did Last Summer .. Ben Willis Captain Hook 🤣😂 extracts his revenge as the deranged homicidal monster , Jennifer Love Hewitt's character is at another place with a group of friends at a beach resort . So hookman's son is amongst the youngsters and he deceives them and so on and so forth . A suspensful thrill ride , so both the movies stand equally good.

Good Looking Guff

[TJiggy · 5/10 · 7 July 2010]

Like its predecessor, 'I Still Know...' falls flat when the funny, obnoxious character (played by Mekhi Phifer in this case) isn't on screen. Between the young actors and the tropical setting, it's a good looking picture, but there ain't too much more to rave about. I do like watching the film though, for the nostalgia if nothing else.

I was going to close with a question about the silliness and plot-holes of Julie James' (Jennifer Love Hewitt) visions/disillusions, but then I realised that it didn't matter (at the end of the day, it's a trashy slasher that you either go along with or you don't). Instead, I will query the only thing more troubling in the film: what is up with Jack Black's dreadlocks?

messy and contrived

[Special-K88 · 14 February 2002]

Hewitt is in college and struggling to maintain her grades after the traumatic events that occurred the previous summer. She and her friends win an all-expenses-paid vacation to the Bahamas, but it quickly turns into a nightmare when the menacing fisherman returns with vengeance on his mind. The first film may not have been a classic, but surely it could have inspired a much better sequel; this poorly-conceived slasher film has a ridiculous setup, nonexistent plot, little suspense, and an abundance of false scares. Even worse is a multitude of one-note supporting characters, senseless violence, plus manipulative and obvious plot twists that build up to a predictable finale. With the exception of a talented cast, there isn't a single redeeming factor here. *½

This was an absolutely awful,terrible,stupid,idiotic film!!

[Fred-146 · 2/10 · 2 March 1999]

I'm looking at all of the positive comments made for "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" and I have one question: Where are your brains? This movie was absolutely horrendous, an insult to the intelligence, without any wit, logic, or reason for being.

Let's start with all the holes in the plot: How did Ben Willis know where Julie's boyfriend (Freddie Prinze Jr.) was going to be driving? Why did Ben Willis pay so much money to drag Julie and company all the way to the Bahamas only to kill everyone else there, and especially if he had access to kill Julie the whole time she was at school? Are there really exact days that resorts in the Bahamas have a hurricane season? How could the filmmakers believe that audiences are so witless as to not know that the capital of Brazil is NOT Rio de Janeiro? If Ben had access to Julie's room the WHOLE time, why didn't he just kill her? Why did that voodoo guy return to the hotel after we saw him start to escape off the island? Why didn't Julie ax Ben Willis when he was trying to break through the door? And what is with that pathetic ending?

Oh, there are so many questions I had about this movie and to no avail. After awhile, I realized that I was putting more thought to the film than the makers did! The filmmakers were so bankrupt of imagination that I guess they had to settle for just killing everyone off that wasn't essential to the story (a la Friday the 13th). This movie has no reason for being, only to pocket the money of those unfortunate enough to sit through this mess. If the movie was a bore to sit through, the ending was infuriating. It totally demonstated that the filmmakers have absolutely no regard for the audience and Jennifer Love's character all along. Nothing is worse than the old is a dream sequence or not? routine. The "surprise" in the film was only a surprise for people who lack the intelligence of putting a 10 piece jigsaw puzzle together.

Things I was thinking when I saw this film ...

[Keyser-15 · 1/10 · 11 November 1998]

1) For all the pop culture references these characters make, haven't they seen Scream?

2) At this rate Jennifer Love Hewitt will go through the entirety of the next sequel topless.

3) Not that I'm complaining ...

4) Yes, you heard me right, the NEXT sequel.

5) Tip to all the horror moviegoers: pick out the non-stereotypical characters. THESE are the ones that will live throughout the movie.

6) Why in the world did Long John Silver kill ... oh, I don't know ... the first ten or so people he offed?

7) The supposed huge plot twist was about as obvious as the fact that this movie is a poor, poor attempt to duplicate Scream.

8) How the HELL did Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brandy get into the supposed great college they are enrolled in? That is, when they're not skipping out to go to exotic tropical island locales.

9) Does everyone ever believe a character in a horror movie who warns them of danger?

10) How many times did Hewitt walk alone through an apartment/hotel room looking for someone she couldn't possibly have stopped if she had found them?

11) Did Mekhi Peiffer have one line where he didn't sound like he was thinking with his groin?

12) This movie will go toe to toe with Meet Joe Black for the top spot at the box office this weekend.

13) People who like this kind of movie make me seriously reconsider universal suffrage.

14) As many times as I correctly predicted what would happen half an hour before it did, I was looking for myself to be listed as director.

15) Then I remembered a three year old could have predicted the plot.

16) I'm damn glad I didn't pay to see this load of crap...

17) ... cause it is officially the single worst movie I've ever seen.

18) I spent more time writing this review than the screenwriter did writing the story.

19) I'll give it a 2 out of 10 ...

20) ... I'm being generous (if only Hewitt would shut the hell up and just get naked).

it was good, until the last five minutes

[haywardd · 1/10 · 23 November 1998]

Well the movie was good and it was all that i expected. The 2 things that i did not like. Brandy did not die and that there is going to be a part three. What are they going to call this one. i know what you did 3 summers ago. anyways i think that you should only go see this movie before 6 because i would not pay the full price. well that is just my thought.

it is 1998 after all

[frosty-44431 · 6/10 · 8 February 2021]

It's okay, I wouldn't say it's terrible. For 1998 standards it's a good watch. Just don't expect too much.

Last sumer you got hooked

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 2 October 2022]

No pun intended - seems like we are still on the hook (is that another pun?). So this is less ... well let's say "intellectual", but what are you actually looking for in a slasher? It won't be nudity - and not too gruesome murders/deaths. But there will be blood and some may even think this is violent enough.

What it certainly did and I am personally not complaining, putting the females through stuff ... they may not have felt too comfortable with. Like showing off a lot of skin. Again not complaining, but telling you what you will get to see. No nudity, but a lot of bikini shots - even in very inappropriate moments! Like when they are wet - from the rain that is! There's a lot of rain and stuff. Ok that pun was way intended.

Apart from that and me also not being a master of geography there is or has to be a lot of suspension of disbelief. Also the ending somewhat mirrors the ending of the first one. A thing horror movies sometimes like to do .. giving you one last scare ... you are expecting it anyway ... but does it mean anything? Does it have to? Rhetorical questions I know.

Before I forget, really good actors thrown into the mix. Not sure if Jack Black would pass the cultural appropriation test for his character, but he is fun to watch. Also Jeffrey Combs always a great addition.

Nice slasher horror, and even much better than the first one!

[bellino-angelo2014 · 8/10 · 1 June 2022]

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER was surprising because I was bound to hate it but instead I found it decent, not great. After it was over I was afraid to try the sequel as it has lots of negative reviews, an abysmal score of 4,6 and sequels to horrors are hard sells. But, being often a masochist, I bit the bullet and believe it or not, I liked it even much more than the original (and it happened very rarely except for the live action GARFIELDs).

In the beginning Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is caught in school having a nightmare where she confesses to a priest about killing a man and he reveals to be Ben Willis (the fisherman from the first movie). After her class finishes she meets Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze jr) who now works as a fisherman and they promise to keep always in touch. Soon we see Julie in her home shared with Karla Wilson when she wins a game show contest on the radio and they win a trip to the Bahamas and Karla invites also her friends Tyrel Martin (Mekhi Phifer) and Will Benson. After they check in the hotel, strange things start to happen; when Julie is doing karaoke the words 'I know what you did last summer' appear on screen, Darick the dockhand is attacked by the fisherman, rastafarian Titus Telesco (Jack Black) is killed near the pool and the housekeeper murdered by Ben and dragged in a closet along with the other. Ray survived a murder attempt always by Ben where his friend (John Hawkes) died hooked and will stop at nothing to go to the resort all by himself and save Julie and her friends (and there is the big shocking twist but I can't report it here).

When it began it looked pretty much like the original but as Julie and her friends went to the Bahamas it became nearly great and the movie never failed to surprise me. The jump scares made me feel very excited because I actually couldn't believe what would have happened next and how Ben would have killed his next victim. Jack Black despite being uncredited was very entertaining, and there were some funny moments in between the killings and blood splattered. Freddie Prinze jr gives probably his best performance of his short career. Yes, he plays the same character from the first one, but here is much more determined and doesn't take a no for an answer. And the big confrontation scene with Ray, Julie, Will and Ben under the rain... it has to be seen to be believed as it looked like the mother of all endings!

I took everything off my chest about this greatly underrated sequel. Resuming, greatly acted, lots of killings that make your heart beat very rapidly and probably the most tense ending ever seen in a movie of this genre. Not to be missed even for folks who didn't liked the first one or aren't into these sort of films (like me).

This was more fun then first

[atinder · 7/10 · 23 June 2012]

I find this movie even more fun then first movie, i don't think it is as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

I love it from opening scenes (Which i thought great) all the way to the end scene which i thought a classic ending done well.

I found this movie had a little more tension in the movie then first and the death were up notch as well so more really creative and some could have be more gory with weapons the killer used,

The only thing I did not like was how the movie gave way who the killer was, as there was just to much clues.

The acting in this movie from some of cast were bit off here and there but the rest of the cast was really good.

I enjoyed this movie better then first! 8 out of 10

PANTS!

[The_Dead_See · 29 May 1999]

Ermmm, exsqueeze me? Baking powder? I would like to know exactly when and where the usually rock solid formula for producing a simple but entertaining slasher flick got lost? Or is it just that Danny Cannon can't seem to suss it out? "I know I know!... How about we have another scene where Jennifer Love Hewitt hears a spooky noise, wanders around the house in the dark, then opens a door to discover that there is no one there!... yeah, that's it! Then we can have a scene where Jennifer Love Hewitt hears a noise, wanders..."

If you are a fan of the old school slasher flicks such as Bodycount, Halloween, or the Friday the 13th's then you will be dissapointed with this films lack of entertaining grisly setpieces or inovation. If you are a fan of the hip new school of Kevin Williamson then again you will be dissapointed by the yawnsome pace of this.

Dire! 1 out of 10, try harder!

Surprise! It's the customary sequel

[mjw2305 · 5/10 · 14 January 2007]

After her friends were murdered last summer, Julie James (Jennifer Love-Hewitt) has never been the same, still haunted by the guilt over her part in the killing of the fisherman her grades are dropping and her relationship is seriously strained. When she and her best friend win a trip to the Bahamas, she believes that finally things may be picking up; but the trip doesn't quite work out how they expected.

Its pretty much more of the same, but it's cheesier, weaker and more clichéd than the first. Don't get me wrong i still found some enjoyment in watching it, but classic material it is not! Anyone who loved the first film, will at least enjoy this one, but it is definitely inferior in every respect.

5/10

Why Bahamas?

[SnoopyStyle · 3/10 · 21 October 2015]

It's a year later. Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is now haunted by nightmares. She is away from Southport and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) attending school. Nice guy Will Benson (Matthew Settle) likes her. Her roommate Karla Wilson (Brandy Norwood)'s boyfriend is Tyrell Martin (Mekhi Phifer). The girls win a radio contest by answering Rio as the capital of Brazil. They win 4 tickets to the Bahamas. Ray declines to go. While driving with Dave, they are attacked by the fisherman-killer Ben Willis. Dave is killed and Ray barely escapes. Karla invites Will to join them on the Caribbean island resort. It turns out that the 4th July weekend is the stormy off-season. The few staff includes bartender Nancy (Jennifer Esposito), Estes (Bill Cobbs) and manager Mr. Brooks (Jeffrey Combs). Titus Telesco (Jack Black) is an irreverent guest. Ben Willis starts killing and a storm approaches.

I don't get why they had to go all the way to the Bahamas. It makes Ray's trip very silly and the situation very unreal. While I like Rio as Brazil's capital, everything about that is ridiculous. They could easily go camping on an island near Southport and Ray could ride to the rescue on a fishing boat. The setup is horribly fake which makes the whole movie pretty bad. The reveal is also not surprising. This sequel should not have been that hard to make but all the big decisions on the plot are wrong. All of the problems make this not scary at all because I don't care about most of these characters.

7-round revolver?

[tbyte · 3/10 · 15 November 1998]

Is it me or did Jennifer Love Hewitt fire 7 or 8 rounds out of a 6-round revolver?

As for the rest of the movie, it was a pathetic, cheesy attempt at providing an already poor film with a sequel!

Comedy? Horror? Suspense? Plot!?!!?!!? are you nuts!?!?

They spent more money on fake blood than they spent on the script!

and Jennifer, please... GET NAKED! Now... it has to happen b4 I see some pic on the net...

This pissed me off

[bart-680 · 7/10 · 12 May 2022]

Ok i saw the original years ago loved it was pure horror. Then i saw this loved it even more yes there are cheesy parts but overall i think it is so underrated as a sequel and honestly gutted it didn't go further.

Part two of slash, stab, hook!

[michaelRokeefe · 2/10 · 7 September 2000]

The original, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, at least had a story and some suspense. The continuation of the story about a 'hook man' that likes to kill teenagers, gets very predictable. But watching Jennifer Love Hewitt suffer her flashbacks is enough to tide you over until the next slashing. The setting is attractive and some of the gore is down right nasty. If stabbing, slashing, poking and ripping people up is your thrill...this is your flick.

Brandy did a real nice job, while Matthew Settle was pathetic. Freddie Prince Jr. committed robbery by taking a salary for what little he did. Also in the cast were Mekhi Phifer, Muse Watson and Red West(famed Memphis Mafia member).

If Ms. Love Hewitt was not in this movie; do you think anyone would by tickets to see it? Probably not.