If the late 70's and into the early 80's was the golden era of slasher films then I dare say the mid 90's was the silver era of the genre. I Know What You Did Last Summer attempts to cash in on the resurgence of interest in slasher films on the heels of the success that Scream enjoyed at the box office just over a year before in 1996. Coincidentally both screenplays were written by Kevin Williamson. Jim Gillespie (Venom and Joyride) took the directors chair for his one. The film concerns four high school graduates about to go away to college but before that they all celebrate the 4th of July weekend and end up killing someone in a hit and run accident. Afterwards they do their best to cover it up and all agree to one degree or another to never talk about it again.
The four friends (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinz Jr.) go through a lot of changes in the year that follows. Julie (Hewitt) is about to come home after her freshman year at college which hasn't gone well, Helen (Gellar) is working the perfume counter in a Boscov's or something like that after she left college just a few months into the school year. Their male counterparts aren't doing much better. Ray (Prinze Jr.) never went to college and is working as a fisherman while Barry (Phillippe) is no longer dating Helen and doesn't seem to be doing to well himself. After getting home from college Julie gets a letter in the mail that has just the movies title written on it. The four reunite albeit hesitantly in an effort to try and figure out who sent the note and what they want. They immediately suspect Max (Johnny Galecki) who was the only witness who unwittingly saw the aftermath of the hit and run. Barry confronts him and threatens him with a gaffing hook shortly after Max is killed by someone using the same hook. Julie and her friends are forced to act quickly to try and figure out who sent the note and is now committing murders around town. As the murderer keeps striking closer and closer to home will Julie figure out what is going on before it's too late?
IKWYDLS also stars Bridgette Wilson-Sampras (Last Action Hero and Billy Madison) as Helen's sister Elsa, Muse Watson (Suburban Gothic and Assassins) as The Fisherman and Anne Heche (Donnie Brasco and the Psycho remake) as Melissa Egan the sister of the man they killed. Or did they? The red herrings are numerous in this one but unlike many slasher films in the 90's that incorporated satire in the film, this one is a straight forward slasher/murder mystery. All of the actors do a good job of telling the story and everything concerning the story is serviceable so there's really no complaint there. It just feels like the film is missing that something special that elevates it from a good film to a great film. This film is good but it could be better. Could be worse too so I do appreciate it. I will give this one three car trunks full of crabs out of five.
I enjoy it, too. Very 90s, post-Scream vibes, but in a good, fun way! The random redneck played by Heche is odd with the setting, but also ends up being cheesy fun.
ReplyDelete