1997 is back like it never left with the fourth installment of the classic slasher horror, “I know what you did last summer,” but make it Gen-Zfied. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, this reboot sticks to the original formula: a group of friends makes a deadly mistake on the Fourth of July and pays for it in blood.
Ava Brucks (Chase Sui Wonders) returns to Southport, North Carolina for her best friend Danica’s (Madelyn Cline) engagement party, reuniting with her ex Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), Danica’s fiancé Teddy (Tyriq Withers), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon), a friend fresh out of rehab. Fireworks, feelings, and one deadly drive later, someone ends up dead—and surprise, surprise, someone else ends up hunting them down for it. Murder is still wrong, but in this town, it’s tradition.
From there, it’s classic Summer territory: cryptic notes, a hooded killer with a hook, and a group of guilty 20-somethings being picked off one by one. The film leans into its legacy with intentional nods to the original—yes, the notes, the hook, and even the eerie coastal setting make a return. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt reprise their roles in ways that are unexpected, their characters are aged-up and reframed with a surprising amount of intention. Usually legacy casting feels like stunt work, this time, it’s actually baked into the story in a way that works.
While the kills aren’t nearly as gory as they could be (a missed opportunity), the film tries to offset it with meta-humor and Gen-Z commentary. There are nods to the original, viral song drops (yes, they squeezed in Ravyn Lenae’s Love Me Not), and even a reference to the Nicole Kidman AMC monologue because… why not? Some moments land, others feel like they were written by a social media intern with bad WiFi, but at least the film knows it’s being ridiculous. It’s not pretending to reinvent the genre, just remix it and embrace its unapologetic Gen-Z-ification.
There’s a bar sign that reads: Don’t change Southport, let Southport change you. And that’s the thing: this version of I Know What You Did Last Summer knows its roots, but it’s not afraid to play with them, even if it gets messy. The final twist might ruffle some purist feathers, but honestly, it gives the film more personality than expected.
Nostalgia is overrated, as the film cheekily reminds us, but when wielded with self-awareness, it can still cut deep. I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) embraces both homage and evolution. It’s messy, it’s fun, and it proves that murder sprees and like fashion trends, they always come back around.
