I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

What Started As A New Beginning, Is Becoming A Dead End.

I Know What You Did Last Summer Movie Poster

Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe & Sarah Michelle Gellar

Director: Jim Gillespie

Written by: Kevin Williamson

Released: October 17, 1997

Budget: $17 million

Box office: $125.3 million

Distributed: Columbia Pictures

Kevin Williamson is at it again.

After the success of Scream, he was as much an imprint of the late 90s as these young stars were, becoming a bright screenwriter within teen horror. I owe my love of the genre to him and this film was one of the standouts when I was younger.

But after all these years, does it still have me hooked? Well, what are we waiting for!!!!! Let’s find out.

I need to start by saying that I don’t think in my multiple viewings of this film have I truly realised how well shot this movie is. There are so many cool shots, camera motions, and use of framing styles that caught my eye. Jim Gillespie (director) and Denis Crossan (cinematographer) did a great job at using the camera to not just capture the story, but add nuance and emphasis to the visual elements of the story.

This film stars the who’s who of young Hollywood and each did a great job at delivering a performance that was differentiable from the other. According to Freddie Prinze Jr., on the first week of rehearsals, Kevin Williamson gave the actors each a different note on how to approach their characters as it relates to them being in this horrible situation. Ray’s was guilt, Barry’s was anger, Helen’s was fear and Julie’s was penitence. With these notes in mind, the choices made by the actors make more sense - especially Barry’s constant rage.

I think it’s kinda hard to root for characters who committed a crime and took the law into their own hands, however, I think the strength of the horror isn’t so much in the traditional slasher tropes, but rather in the crippling fear that comes with guilt, jail and the idea that your life is over. These characters are more pained by the fact that they could face consequences rather than the apparent manslaughter. But something I was wondering, are their actions justified after discovering Ben killed David Egan and they technically almost killed a killer? Do we consider the four to be victims? 

The only character that made me feel some empathy was Helen Shivers who is arguably the best character in the film and no, I’m not just biased because of SMG…well, maybe a little…but her character was given more depth and characterization. The treatment she gets from her sister and her dad is quite telling, so what may seem like a vapid character who is only focused on beauty, is someone who is longing for a genuine connection and to be seen. I think she got that with Julie, which is why she is so sad that their friendship dissolved after the accident. Helen’s chase scene remains one of the best within the slasher sub-genre. The entire set piece within the Shivers store was perfection, except for a few illogical moments. It’s such a long cat-and-mouse chase, that by the time you see the fireworks and the marching band, you breathe a sigh of relief and believe just as much as Helen that safety is a few feet away. But no no no, the killer somehow comes outta nowhere and gets her. Truly a gut-wrenching moment. 

The Fisherman Killer felt quite threatening, taking a page from other classic killers: stand still and walk slow. Two instances with him stood out to me: when he stood over Barry after running him over and when he walked up the stairs into Helen’s room. I love both those shots. The costume design, although maybe unimpressive at the time, is now truly iconic and instantly recognizable. If it’s able to be a Halloween costume and people instantly get it, then I think it’s made some impact. Toying with and taunting the four teens psychologically was a great way to keep them on edge at all times. When he killed Max, the Sheriff, and Elsa, it was quite inhumane the way he would use his hook and drag his victims’ bodies as if they were pieces of meat. 

After Helen’s death, the film falls a little flat for me. Perhaps because the characters remaining, Julie and Ray, are a little flat themselves. I wouldn’t say they’re boring, but they are as exciting as two vanilla scoops of ice-cream 🍦. The boat chase scene with Julie and Ben wasn’t all that scary or thrilling, and is mostly a showcase for JLH’s amazing screaming ability — at one point all she did was scream. I actually couldn’t help but laugh. 

A great storytelling element was the setting. This small fisherman town wasn’t just a simple backdrop but helped to convey this sense of the teens feeling trapped and unable to escape the obvious horror that took place, but also played on their fear of staying in a small town that has nothing to offer them. I grew up in a part of town that also felt pretty small and small-minded, so I relate to that fear of feeling like you’ll never escape.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is and forever will be in the zeitgeist of notable teen slashers, and rightfully so. It’s a time capsule of 90’s talent, a horror resurgence, and is many budding horror fans’ first introduction to the genre. However, with that said, this movie isn’t the greatest either. Over time, it loses its punch as newer releases come out, and by comparison starts to feel pretty tame. I still would recommend this film though. It feels like quintessential viewing at this point, but I wouldn’t hype it up in the same way I would Scream or even Urban Legend. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 hooks

Share your thoughts and rating on the film below