Why, oh why, do filmmakers these days keep dodging the slasher’s hook by sidelining the iconic characters we adore, stubbornly shoving newbies into the spotlight of these resurrected horror franchises? However, that doesn’t mean we didn’t get goosebumps from the nostalgic feeling of being back in Southport, revisiting some of its symbolic locations, and seeing those familiar characters from the '90s. But let’s be real: this could’ve been a lot better if they’d just leaned into the legends we love.
Fans of the ‘97 classic, brace yourself, I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is like stepping into a time-warped rerun, swapping out the original cast for fresh faces but keeping the same playbook. Set nearly three decades after that fateful night, this sequel rewinds to Southport, North Carolina, where Reaper’s Curve once again becomes the scene of an accident they cause on July 4th. However, as we trip down memory lane, it could have used a bit more creativity. A new crew of young friends, their futures flashing before their eyes, chooses to bury the truth rather than face the consequences of their actions, making a pact to stay silent and move on with their lives.
It’s the calm before the storm when Danica (Madelyn Cline), at her bridal shower a year after the accident, opens a cryptic card that zaps the joy out of the occasion: 'I know what you did last summer.' That buried secret is not so secret anymore, as the group finds themselves hunted by a shadowy figure, our favorite Fisherman in a slicker with a hook, thirsty for vengeance.
It’s funny because the group dynamic is so reminiscent of the 1997 gang in many ways, even down to their characteristics, that you could almost slot some of them into their respective roles. This time, we’ve got five friends instead of four, but the nods to the past are crystal clear. Danica struts as the quintessential 'popular blonde,' channeling Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Helen Shivers, while her boyfriend Teddy (Tyriq Withers) is practically Ryan Phillippe’s Barry reborn, reckless, hot-headed, and ready to throw punches.
The rest of the posse are a little harder to place: Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon). Unlike the original’s magnetic crew, this gang is a letdown. You’re not cheering for their survival, and you might even find yourself cringing at some of the performances. Adding to the mix is also Gabbriette Bechtel’s Tyler Trevino, a true-crime fanatic whose obsession with the 1997 'Southport Massacre' brings her to town to dig up gossip for her 'Live, Laugh, Slaughter' podcast. She brings some much-needed interest and energy to boost an otherwise lacklustre cast.
Thank the horror gods for the Fisherman, whose presence doesn’t disappoint, storming in to save the day and helping you forget some of the movie's problems. But let’s be honest, our hearts are really here for the triumphant return of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Julie James and Ray Bronson.
IKWYDLS 2025 blurs the line between remake and sequel, presenting itself through a modernized Gen Z lens as it remixes the original’s DNA while placing a new focus on a community desperately trying to scrub away its bloodstained history of the 'Southport Massacre.'
Legacy Characters Lack Screen Time
All of this paves the way for Jennifer Love Hewitt’s return, but sadly dumps her iconic character into a role we all dreaded, a supporting capacity role that serves as a mentor-like figure, guiding the forgettable crew with wisdom as she gets drawn back to Southport. Julie James is this franchise’s Laurie Strode of Halloween, a scream-queen legend, and we, as fans, are robbed of her rightful reign in the spotlight. Similarly, we also have Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Ray Bronson, now Julie’s estranged ex-husband, still living in Southport, running his own Bar. It's hard to image any fans could be truly happy with the roles they were given.
It frustratingly feels like a betrayal, as the filmmakers knew exactly what they were doing when selling us this movie, hyping us up for the return of the original cast and making us dream that this time they’d have enough common sense to put their trust in them to deliver another blockbuster. They pulled the same stunt with Jamie Lee Curtis in later Halloween flicks by pushing her to the side. Ageism once again killed the potential here, as Hewitt, still radiant and only in her mid-40s, could have owned this movie and kicked ass as the star we know she is.
Sorry, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (director) and the writers, but you fumbled, this should have been Julie James’ story to own, not a parade of empty new faces. Yet, this movie snags a relatively high score from us because we're caught up in nostalgia, the return to Southport, the cameos, the Fisherman’s killer rampage, and what can only be described as an overall cruel, time-limited screen appearances of Julie and Ray, but at least we got them.