Tags
1990's, Anne Heche, Freddie Prinze Jr., Horror, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jim Gillespie, Johnny Galecki, Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Film Title
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Director
Jim Gillespie
Starring
- Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers
- Ryan Phillippe as Barry
- Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray
- Anne Heche as Missy Egan
- Johnny Galecki as Max
Although penned by the same guy who wrote the game changing Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer doesn’t quite fall into the category of classic. And despise that, it’s actually quire a good horror movie. Not really newfangled or unexpected but extremely serviceable and entertaining in what it presents.
In their hometown of Southport, North Carolina, Julie James, her boyfriend Ray, best friend Helen Shivers and her beau Barry are taking part in celebrating the end of high school and the Fourth of July. After Helen is crowned beauty queen, the group continues to celebrate by visiting the beach. After a round of ghost stories and intimate moments, the popular kids hop into Larry’s prized car. As Barry is too drunk and disorderly to drive, sensible Ray takes the wheel. Yet things take a dramatic and drastic turn as their enthusiasm is brought crashing down when they accidentally hit a stranger while driving. Thinking he is dead, the group goes into meltdown. Filled with severe panic over what this could cause them and their future plans, the group agree to dump the body in the river. Julie reluctantly takes part, but feels immensely guilty about her part in it. As they are dumping the body, the man they thought was dead briefly stirs in his dying grasps, causing Barry to push him in the river. This seems to kill him and now the four friends know they are now accountable for murder. As each vows to remain silent about their involvement, this secret will soon weigh heavy on them. A year later and the group have been driven apart by their respective guilt. Julie returns home a shell of her original bubbly self, and things are about to get a lot worse. Receiving an anonymous note in the post that spouts the eponymous title, her fear escalates as she is forced to come into contact with her disparate group of friends once more. Someone obviously is aware of their actions and wants them to pay for it, but just who could it be? The very person makes his presence felt, armed with a fish-hook that he hacks victims with, leaving a growing trail behind him. All the while, he is heading for the terrified quartet who he has an axe to grind with. Investigating, the teens believe all of this terror relates to a specific person, but discover it’s a lot more complicated than it is straightforward. Before more bodies hit the floor, can Julie and her estranged friends uncover who the killer is?
As I previously referenced, I Know What You Did Last Summer is no Scream, and yet this is sometimes why there is unfair dissent us aimed at the film. Sure it’s not the hip, self-referential classic, but even though its traditional, it gets the job done handsomely. Jim Gillespie has a nice handle on things and manages some immensely good scares and jolts of nerve jangling. As a movie, it has a good sense of mystery to it which for me is a plus in a horror movie. It doesn’t take a genius to work out some of it, but it can be surprising when it wants to be. Not that it’s without plot contrivances and a little bit too much complexity, but by and large keeps you watching. The movie comes apart in the last act, where it attempts to be overly smart but ends up getting a bit ahead of itself. But for the main duration, thanks to a good script from Kevin Williamson, I Know What You Did Last Summer still has a lot of atmosphere and effective use of foreshadowing. There is also something very eerie about the fishing town setting, added to this is the moody colour palette. A shivering and strangely melodic score further brings tension to the piece.
A cast of largely 90’s idols play their parts well, even if the characters are somewhat lacking in quarters. Jennifer Love Hewitt is our main focal point; the good and largely pure girl who genuinely feels guilty about her part in the previous summer’s events. A nice vulnerability is clear in her work and it suits the role of Julie, benefiting from a quiet determination too. Out of all the characters, Julie is the one that you have the most sympathy for. Sarah Michelle Gellar, while not kicking ass in style as she did in Buffy, is very well used as the confused beauty who might be somewhat shallow, but is far from a bad person. Playing the part of resident jerk, Ryan Phillippe does a credible job of really making us despise the spoiled little brat that is Barry. You do feel genuine resentment towards the character because of his selfish actions and lack of concern for anyone but himself. Freddie Prinze Jr is the main person who is given a serious lack of things to do. And no amount of enthusiasm can perk his part up. Anne Heche provides unusual support as someone who may be linked to the case and has the off-kilter vibe to set you on edge. Johnny Galecki briefly but memorably has a role as the rather unfortunate first victim of the killer.
No classic of horror but the provider of some good scares and attractive cast, I Know What You Did Last Summer deserves a bit more recognition than its received.
maddylovesherclassicfilms said:
Haven’t seen this one for ages! Good little horror thriller film.
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vinnieh said:
Same with me. I remember first seeing it years ago. It’s not the greatest chiller, but it is a good one. And I like the cast.
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Richard said:
This is a film that a lot of my friends have seen, but I haven’t… It does seem to have acquired a cult following, and I do love a good cult film! I, like you, enjoy having a good mystery when it comes to horror films, as it adds to the anticipation and suspense of it all.
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vinnieh said:
It’s no masterwork, Richard. But it is actually pretty good in many aspects. I too love a mystery angle to my horror, am truly a sucker for it.
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Karandi said:
This one was good popcorn viewing and I actually really liked the sequel.
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vinnieh said:
Popcorn viewing is an apt description of this film. I haven’t actually seen the sequel, so appreciate you putting it on my radar again. I love when that happens.
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Karandi said:
One of the rare times where I enjoyed a sequel more than the original though it is much the same to be fair.
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vinnieh said:
Horror sequels can be notoriously hit and miss.
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Karandi said:
Definitely agree. Normally they just up the gore and the stupidity and essentially rehash the same storyline with less fun. It is nice when a horror sequel manages to actually capture what was good about the first film but still feel like its own thing.
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vinnieh said:
Oh I totally agree. For a sequel to be successful, you have to get the essence of the first film and then bring something new to the table.
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ninvoid99 said:
I think it’s an OK film but not the great horror film people claim it is though it does feature that hilarious cover of “Summer Breeze” by Type O Negative.
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vinnieh said:
Yes, I remember the song clearly. I think the first time I saw the film was because I fancied both Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
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ninvoid99 said:
I think Gellar is more attractive and a better actress. J-Love is just a tease who got by showing her cleavage and nothing else to horny old men.
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vinnieh said:
Gellar will always be Buffy for me. As for Jennifer Love Hewitt, she’s really good in Ghost Whisperer and Party of Five.
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beetleypete said:
SMG is always worth looking at, and I actually enjoyed this film. Somehow, the predictability felt right, and even though I knew it was never going to scare me, I went with it. You summed it up just right mate.
Cheers, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
I agree, for all the predictable elements, it is rather good.
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fragglerocking said:
Not seen this (obvs) but this must have resulted in SMG and Freddy Prinz’s subsequent marriage. She’ll always be Buffy though 😊
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vinnieh said:
Yes, I can imagine it did lead to wedding bells. She’ll always be Buffy to me too.
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Carson MaitlandSmith (@CarsonMaitlandS) said:
Have you seen the Official Trailer for Avengers: Infinity War?
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vinnieh said:
Not yet. But I will.
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alexraphael said:
Sure was an attractive cast. It makes sense the guy from Scream wrote it, when you tihnk about it.
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vinnieh said:
They really got the cream of the 90’s crop here. Yes, you can really see some elements of Scream here.
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alexraphael said:
Whatever happened to Jennifer Love Hewitt? She did Heartbreakers but don’t remember her being too much in Hollywood films.
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vinnieh said:
She was in the TV show Ghost Whisperer.
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alexraphael said:
It lasted a while. Always thought it a shame she didn’t do more movies though.
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vinnieh said:
I really like her too.
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Movie Addict said:
Haven’t seen this in forever. You have inspired me to give into the inner nostalgia and watch it again soon.
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vinnieh said:
I love a good bit of nostalgia.
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keepsmealive said:
Saw this ages ago, and my memory says meh. I always figured all those movies with JLH in them were just vehicles for her to show off her tits. Not that I’m complaining.
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vinnieh said:
If you got it flaunt it as they say.
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keepsmealive said:
Go girl, go! Haha I’ve got a buddy in Montreal who was (probably still is) all about her. They were filming in town and he wanted to go stand and watch the production in case she showed up. Knowing him, he’d have hit on her. Sadly, we had other places to be…
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vinnieh said:
Haha, your poor friend. All he wanted was a glimpse.
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keepsmealive said:
He was always trying to meet famous people. One time we were at an Expos game at Olympic Stadium and they showed that Ed Norton was in the crowd. Norton did not look amused to be on the big screen, dude was just trying to enjoy the game, ya know? Well my buddy’s all “we gotta go over there and tell him how awesome he was in American History X!” and I was all “no, dude, can’t you tell he doesn’t wanna be bugged right now? Besides, there are tens of thouands of people in this place you’d never find him.”
Haha you’re right, poor guy. Ah well, when I saw him in the summer he was hanging with an NBA player (had pics) and refereeing university football games (and trying for the CFL), meeting players and schmoozing. He’s still at it!
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vinnieh said:
Haha, great stories.
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keepsmealive said:
That dude is surely one of a kind. In the best way, of course!
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vinnieh said:
Of course.
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Lloyd Marken said:
Takes me back, watching this at a sleep over party as a teenager. We give it heck throughout not thinking it was that good but maybe so bad it was good. Either way I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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vinnieh said:
It’s a very cliched movie, but sometimes I can get on board with that.
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