Legacy sequel to late-’90s teen slasher films wasn’t needed, but it’s surprisingly fun all the same

“Nostalgia’s overrated,” an exacerbated character quips late in “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” It’s a surprisingly self-aware line considering the legacy sequel, released nearly 30 years after the original 1997 film, is rarely more than Gen Z-infused nostalgia bait itself. 

If you saw either the original, you already know the gist this time around: A group of ridiculously good-looking friends celebrating the Fourth of July in Southport, N.C., accidentally kill someone, cover it up and then spend the next year pretending nothing happened — only for a hook-wielding killer in a fisherman’s slicker to violently remind them of their deed the following summer. (You can see where the franchise title comes from.) In fact, it’s such a faithful callback — down to the return of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., who starred in the first movie and its 1998 sequel — that I often felt like I was watching the original film again.

That may sound like a complaint; it’s not. But it’s not a compliment, either, and that’s the problem. This “Summer,” directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson from a script by Robinson and Sam Lansky, is an enjoyable trip down murder memory lane — but at its core it’s simply a rehash, offering almost nothing new except the possibility of more sequels. (The ending and end credits clearly sketch out the future of the franchise, should it continue.)

What it does offer are solid lead performances and some unexpected (and well-delivered) self-referential humor, mostly aimed at Gen Z’s culture and memes. The quintet of young adults anchoring the sequel include best friends Ava (Chase Sui Wonders) and Danica (Madelyn Cline), the latter of whom is engaged to Teddy (Tyriq Withers), who’s the best friend of Ava’s ex Milo (Jonah Hauer-King). The final member is Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon), who fell out with the group after high school but reconnects at a Fourth of July party in their hometown of Southport. It’s a shame she had to tag along that night of all nights, as the group, watching fireworks from what looks like the most dangerous roadside spot you could possibly pick, accidentally causes a car to swerve off the road in the waters below, killing the driver. Like the first time around, this group swears to secrecy, and off they go, never telling anyone what happened that night.

But the past never stays in the past, as Danica gets an all-too familiar letter on the next Fourth of July, stating, “I know what you did last summer.” What follows will surprise no one who’s watched the previous films, but it involves a mystery person in a pitch-black slicker, a very pointy hook and some creative if slightly over-the-top murders. (I honestly feel like the killer is magic sometimes, the way they appear and disappear and stage bodies without getting caught.) And though Southport got quite the glow-up in the past three decades (and essentially scrubbed the history books clean of its gruesome past), it seems some things will never change in this lovely little town.

What did change, though, is how this group interacts. In the original film, it never felt like the four main characters were actually friends — more like they were chained together by a fateful night they’d all rather forget. In this “Summer,” the friendships feel authentic and close, full of inside jokes and affection, particularly between Ava/Danica and Teddy/Milo; those bonds are the best part of the film.

In the end, the modern-day sequel — no one’s calling anyone from a payphone — packs a few fun twists and some delightful performances (particularly Cline’s hilariously goofy Danica), but it may as well be the first film all over again. It’s a fun enough romp and enough of a reason to return to Southport, but it’s hardly one to scream over.

Three “I feel like I’ve seen this before” stars out of five.

Top photo caption: The Fisherman in “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” (Courtesy of CTMG)

Bottom photo caption: From left, Tariq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon (back left), Chase Sui Wonders and Madelyn Cline in “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” (Courtesy of CTMG)