I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) is directed by Jim Gillespie and features a screenplay by Kevin Williamson. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe, Johnny Galecki, Anne Heche, Muse Watson, and Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. Loosely based on the YA novel by Lois Duncan, the film follows four recent high school graduates after they unintentionally kill a stranger on the 4th of July. Agreeing to keep their involvement a secret, the four friends eventually go their separate ways. One year later, they reunite after receiving letters containing the message: “I know what you did last summer.” Soon after, the group realizes they are being hunted by a hook-wielding maniac in a fisherman’s slicker. With few options, the friends set out to identify the fisherman and his motivations before it’s too late. 

This is a film that’s very much a product of the 90s—almost a time capsule of sorts. A lot of the elements that feel dated/old are also the ones that give the film its unique flavor. However, one aspect that remains consistent across eras is the central cast. It features the ‘who’s who’ of 90s teen heartthrobs, and they all give strong, charismatic performances. Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Julie James character is a serviceable protagonist, but not necessarily an original one. This causes Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Helen Shivers character to be the true standout of the two female leads. After the friends reunite, we’re shown the different ways each of them has changed, especially Helen. Although it’s not the most obvious of these changes, it’s the most compelling and complex. Instead of spiraling, the situation forces her to realize what’s truly important in life: the people worth living for. *SPOILER ALERT* This helps to make the character’s eventual demise significantly more devastating because she’s not only someone we like; she’s someone we care about.

This sharp character writing also extends to the script’s romantic elements. Naturally, the murder causes a fair amount of strife within their relationships, especially the romantic ones. They’re forced to rediscover why they fell for one another in the first place, which causes all the romance to feel earned and thus emotionally impactful. Even Ryan Phillippe’s character, who’s easily the least complex of the four leads, is provided with moments of vulnerability to balance his often over-the-top, ‘tough guy’ attitude. 

The film features its fair share of cringe teen dialogue and behavior. For example, their response to the accidental murder is frustratingly short-sighted, but it’s ultimately acceptable when considering these are teenagers. The problem is that this behavior isn’t consistent. They’ll say phrases like “as if” but then use words such as “esoteric.” I’m not saying “esoteric” is a rare word, but it feels too advanced for a typical teenager. There’s also a handful of convenient occurrences that require the characters to act in illogical ways to advance the plot. For example, there’s one particular scene where Ray (Prinze Jr.) has the upper hand on the killer, but loses it after Julie randomly yells his name at the top of her lungs. She’s in absolutely no danger at that moment, and it makes no sense to call for him. All it does is put Ray in further danger and make her seem like a complete nincompoop. Also, there are countless instances in which the killer has ample time to kill certain characters, but just doesn’t. This is a common trope of the genre, but in this case, it’s too prevalent to ignore. 

In addition to the characters, the film succeeds in part due to its efficient, well-paced script, which feels like a sharp response to the genre’s most predictable tropes. One of the classic “rules” of slasher cinema is that having sex is akin to signing your own death certificate. Before anything bad even happens, all four of the characters have sex, which immediately establishes that no one is safe. 

Although it’s not very unpredictable, the film never overstays its welcome. It’s simple, but the filmmakers seem to understand precisely how much time each sequence can capably support. There are also surprisingly few kills for a slasher movie, but the ones we do get feel as effective as possible. In other words, the kills are earned. The film doesn’t have one particular thing a person can point to as the reason it works so well. Instead, all the little things combine to create a film that’s irresistible in its simplicity. 

My only real issue, aside from the dialogue and certain unusual behaviors, is that the script ultimately undermines the characters’ moral dilemma/guilt. This is due to the reveal that the person they killed, to some extent, deserved it. I understand the desire to make the characters more likable, but it also makes them—and, in turn, the movie—less complex. 

Overall, this is an imperfect but wonderfully entertaining 90s slasher that, for the most part, earns its status as a horror classic. The iconic cast and efficient script make the film an effortless watch, but not everything holds up. There ends up being a lot of inconsistent logic and silly, outdated dialogue. Thankfully, the pros of the film heavily outweigh the cons, feeling more like a fun time capsule than an obsolete relic. If you like slashers or even teen drama in general, I’d check this one out. If that’s not you, I’d still give it a shot. At the very least, you’ll have a better understanding of the jokes in Scary Movie (2000). B