I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

7% of critics liked it
(55 reviews)
42% of users liked it
(350,963 ratings)

I Know What You Did Last Summer was one of the two teenaged horror movies responsible for bringing the horror genre into the 90's (the other being Wes Craven's Scream). Both of those films came from the pen of screenwriter Kevin Williamson, and both of them generated sequels. I Still Know What You… More I Know What You Did Last Summer was one of the two teenaged horror movies responsible for bringing the horror genre into the 90's (the other being Wes Craven's Scream). Both of those films came from the pen of screenwriter Kevin Williamson, and both of them generated sequels. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is the continuation of Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a tortured college co-ed who accidentally almost killed a man and left him for dead one night. One year later, that man, named Ben Willis, came back to kill all of Julie's friends. Now, another year later, she still suffers from nightmares over the horrible incidents. When Julie's roommate Kate (Brandy) wins an all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas on a radio promotion by guessing the capital of Brazil, she decides to take her roommate Julie, her boyfriend (Mekhi Phifer), and their new friend (Matthew Settle) on the retreat. Once there, they discover that besides being the rainy season, they were also followed by Julie's nemesis who is still seeking revenge. Slowly the islanders turn up murdered, leaving Julie no choice but to explain her past actions to her friends and fight to stay alive. It will entail the final showdown between her and Ben Willis once and for all. ~ Chris Gore, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Danny Cannon
Written By: Trey Callaway
Genres: Horror

In Theaters: Nov 13, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Aug 7, 2001
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Leonard Klady, Variety
This followup to last year's successful teens-in-jeopardy opus piles on the chills, thrills and body count.
Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Our enjoyment is supposed to lie in making fun of the obvious red herrings, contrived opportunities to show cleavage, melodramatic dialogue, gullible characters, and inevitable to-be-continued ending.
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle
Neither Trey Callaway, who wrote the script, nor Danny Cannon, who directed the sequel, bring any new ideas to the genre. Cut 'em some slack: That surely was their marching orders.
Paul Tatara, CNN.com
It's not a bad film for what it is.
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
When Bad Things Happen to Stupid People might have been a better title.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
A lazy, hasty effort that offers little beyond a few jack-in-the-box startles and a high body count, including Hewitt's bouncing about in a shirt half-unbuttoned over a bikini top.
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media
We know what sequel shouldn't have been made.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Needless to say, logic takes a holiday, just not in the Bahamas. [Blu-ray]
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
I have seen many stupid movies in my life. But [this] would still count among the stupidest, had I seen twice a many movies in half again as many genres.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
There are some 'cool' slasher moments, if that's your thing, but if you stop to think about it for even a second the whole house of cards falls down in your lap.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Like a rotten vaudeville act, this one deserves the hook.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
As mindlessly engaging as its predecessor...
Steve Biodrowski, ESplatter
Heartfelt thanks must go out ... to actor Jeffrey Combs, whose brief, amusing appearance is the only reason this loser doesn't get a zero-star rating.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The attractive youngsters run, scream, declare that this can't be happening and repeat as necessary.
Nigel Floyd, Time Out
Irredeemably dire.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It's frustrating, not to mention insulting.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
A more appropriate title would be Who Cares What You Did Last Summer.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
There are many things wrong with this film, starting with title.
Eugene Novikov, Film Blather
The only thing terrifying about this clunker is the thought of having to sit through it.
Leonard Schwarz, Palo Alto Weekly
A better-than-average slasher movie is that it understands exactly the sorts of cheap thrills its audience is looking for and delivers them with a minimum of distraction and a maximum of energy.

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jeff "

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a poorly made sequel to a very poor film. Both films are pointless with bad acting, story and poor attempts at scaring the audience. Teen horror films were crap for the exception of Scream. This sequel proves that much. This is a bad film with… More
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a poorly made sequel to a very poor film. Both films are pointless with bad acting, story and poor attempts at scaring the audience. Teen horror films were crap for the exception of Scream. This sequel proves that much. This is a bad film with nothing entertaining about it. The cast is terrible and the story is a plain joke. It's no wonder that most of the cast are forgotten nowadays because they suck at acting. This is yet another bad attempt at cashing on an original film that wasn't good in the first place. This is a film that scrapes the bottom of the barrel and lingers around trying to figure out what it wants to do. This is one of the worst horror films ever made, and I've seen some bad ones and, this film just takes it to a whole new low. A terrible, misconstructed film that has nothing going on, maybe except to bore the hell out of the audience. It's no wonder why these films are in the discount bin of so many retail stores. They're terrible. If you love horror, don't watch this travesty. These films represent the lowest point in horror history along with others such as Urban Legends. This is simply a poorly made horror film that should be avoided by every fan of the genre.
Eric A

Just stop.
Bethany M

It was alright, but the original was much better.
danny d

along with the first, this is a strong guilty pleasure for me.
Chris W

A lot weaker than the first, and I didn't really buy the twsit, but this is still better than many of it's contemporaries. It's funny to see Jack Black in a small but amusing role, though.
Conner R

Even more horrendous than the first, they got rid of bad boy Ryan Phillipe and Sarah Michelle Gellar and filled in the supporting cast with relative unknowns. It is almost so bad it's funny because you can spot the train wreck coming a mile away. There is nothing new, it's… More
Even more horrendous than the first, they got rid of bad boy Ryan Phillipe and Sarah Michelle Gellar and filled in the supporting cast with relative unknowns. It is almost so bad it's funny because you can spot the train wreck coming a mile away. There is nothing new, it's the same plot only moved to a deserted tropical island.
Wahida K

I dont know what I did last summer, nice you know it. lol
David S

Sometimes, a wonderful film is made. It gets near-universal praise, makes more money than Daniel Plainview and Lex Luthor combined and it seems nothing can stop it. The problem? Well, where do you go from there? Most times, the answer is down. Sometimes it's getting caught up… More
Sometimes, a wonderful film is made. It gets near-universal praise, makes more money than Daniel Plainview and Lex Luthor combined and it seems nothing can stop it. The problem? Well, where do you go from there? Most times, the answer is down. Sometimes it's getting caught up trying to top the previous story (often called the Dragon Ball Z effect due to the villains of the show becoming more powerful despite some of them already being the ultimate in power level) or because a director/thespian uses the opportunity to do their dream projects which isn't always a good thing (no, I won't use the Francis Ford Coppola example again. Instead, I look to Roberto Benigni. Having won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Life Is Beautiful, he then went on do do what he called his dream project: a live action adaptation of Pinocchio... starring himself as the titular character. If that causes you to run screaming, you're not alone). Then we have the opposite. Or rather, a belief in the opposite: that a bad film, if somehow is given a sequel, has nowhere to go but up since in better hands, the sequel can rectify the mistakes of the first and show that the sins of the fathers need not be visited upon the sons. Let's take I Know What You Did Last Summer: it was formulaic, filled with narm, characters that were so annoying you were BEGGING to see them die (as opposed to films where you want the characters to die only because the villain is a franchise staple who can be very inventive with their kills), illogical and it had one of the weaker villains ever to grace a horror/thriller. I only gave it a rating slightly higher than this film due to Sarah Michelle Gellar, who I enjoyed seeing in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Now, this is the question I pose: what the Hell went so wrong that not only did they not make a better film they somehow made it WORSE than its predecessor?! Let's start with the title. Now, I don't think I'm spoiling anything by telling you the fisherman from the first movie, who is meant to be the antagonist but comes off as Billy Bob Thornton in fishing gear (yes I know he didn't play him in the films, don't message me and try to correct me) is back to try and kill Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt, who seems to have a yo-yo career as far as I'm concerned). If I have spoiled it for you... seriously, you couldn't see that coming? Anyway, the title is just absurd. Of course you remember what happened. And it's a false title anyway because a whole new fiasco happened LAST summer. So it should be I Now Have Two Summers I Know Things About or I Still Know What You Did LAST Last Summer. That second one wouldn't make much more sense anyway but would still be more accurate. Not that it matters. Like I said, he's very unlikely to forget his apparent death. I say apparent because he doesn't appear to be undead (apparently, the third film in the series says he is undead and kills those who hold secrets of a death but more on that later). Come on, is revenge on four teens who will most likely live crappy lives with unfulfilled dreams really how you want to spend your time? Wouldn't you rather be at home with your wife, joking about your "crazy time" where you almost died? Besides, you killed a guy. Isn't you being run over karma for murdering a guy who didn't seem to do anything wrong except in your crazy book? Anyway, about the title, it just looks like a bad joke. Honestly, I think I would rather see the title as something like I'm Fairly Certain I Remember What Took Place A Few Years Ago Something About Being Run Over Right? Where Am I? Ooooh, Bagels! Anyway, What Was My Point Again? Getting past the title but still on topic with the villain, I want to know what the Hell his deal is. Is he undead in this film or just really, REALLY good at taking beatings and bullets? Was he undead the whole time? Does he do this every few centuries or so and we just happen to be seeing the latest of many slaughters? Let's face it, he is nowhere near as cool as other undead characters like Freddy or Jason. Adding to that, he looks like a geezer version of Ghostface from the Scream series only without the awesome voice modulation. Speaking of voice... ugh. Looks like a crazy hillbilly/homeless guy, sounds like one, probably smells like one. If this were a comedy, I'd be half expecting him to go "CHANGE! Ya got change?! Ah come on, help a guy out!" Now let's move on. The movie has a few other little things I don't like. One of those is the karaoke selection from Julie: I Will Survive. I. Hate. That. Goddamn. Song. It is so overplayed, the vocals are terrible, the lyrics are just awful. So naturally, it was choice number one for this film wasn't it? How many other horses you want to beat to death? Makes me wish TV's Frank's and Dr. Forrester's idea of a karaoke machine that only plays public domain songs would see the light of day. And now for my other big complaint: Jack Black. Oh dear Lord man, what the Hell were you thinking?! I like a lot of his work, even though some of his characters border on annoying. This is the first time I've ever wanted to see his character die in his opening scene. It's like the writers thought "Well, we're in the Bahamas now, how about we include a stoner! Cos, y'know, stoners are funny! And they live in exotic places like that, as do African tribes of cannibals that totally isn't a stereotype!" "Dude, you are brilliant! That's like the greatest idea since Scrappy-Doo!" Also, I want to take note of the following things: Brandy, your singing is barely passable (and for what you did to Another Day In Paradise, you've pretty much confirmed you shouldn't be allowed to cover another song. Ever) so I don't know why you thought acting would be a good idea. And Jeffrey Combs, what in the name of all that is holy are YOU doing here?! You're too good for this! Unless... unless this is meant to be part of the Re-Animator series and Ben Willis is your latest experiment! No... wait... that's retarded. That's so retarded it makes Meatwad look like a genius. The sad thing is, you think that maybe NOW there's nowhere to go but up. But then a third film came out and it had nothing to do with the previous movies beyond the title and Ben Willis. You couldn't pay me enough to see that film. Now the franchise should just die. It can join Final Destination and Urban Legends and just stay dead. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go punish myself for even mentioning a fun series like Re-Animator in relation to this. I'm sorry Jeffrey, please don't hurt me!
Anthony L

I still couldn?t have given a toss what these idiots had done the previous summer.
Cassandra M

After her friends were murdered last summer, Julie James (Jennifer Love-Hewitt) has never been the same, still haunted by the guilt over her part in the killing of the fisherman her grades are dropping and her relationship is seriously strained. When she and her best friend win a trip… More
After her friends were murdered last summer, Julie James (Jennifer Love-Hewitt) has never been the same, still haunted by the guilt over her part in the killing of the fisherman her grades are dropping and her relationship is seriously strained. When she and her best friend win a trip to the Bahamas, she believes that finally things may be picking up; but the trip doesn't quite work out how they expected. Its pretty much more of the same, but it's cheesier, weaker and more clichéd than the first. Don't get me wrong i still found some enjoyment in watching it, but classic material it is not! Anyone who loved the first film, will at least enjoy this one, but it is definitely inferior in every respect.
Roy G

A more appropriate title would be Who Cares What You Did Last Summer.
Lady D

The sequel with the worst title ever is predictable and corny, but at the same time easy watching good fun.
Drew S

I Still Know Why Jennifer Love Hewitt's Career Evaporated.
Candy R

Good sequel thriller - in the same vein as Scream, the serial killer is back.
Dr Blood

This is a great movie spoiled only by a predictable plot and even more predictable epilogue.
Lafe F

Creepy stormy island setting, but uninteresting. They dragged on the Fisherman with the hook legend a bit too far. It was nice seeing Jennifer and Freddie again.
Luke B

Who cares what you know anymore? Same film different victims. Trying to spice things up in a nice exotic location is just begging for love.
Jose Z

And I still KNow that thisa movie is as bad or worse than the first one, Jennifer Love Hewitt looks smokin' hot but it was her worst desition making this movie, Brandy come on no actress at all
Curtis L

I did see it, you caught me red handed. Kind of like when Jack Black gets hooked in the hand. Yeah, that was the only good part.
Dean !

Not as good as the first but still better than many of the genre, trust me!