I Know What You Did Last Summer
Chad'z rating: ** (out of 4 = fair)
1997, R, 100 minutes [1 hour, 40 minutes]
[horror]
starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Helen), Ryan Phillippe (Barry), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Ray); written by Kevin Williamson; produced by Stokely Chaffin, Erik Feig, Neal H. Moritz; directed by Jim Gillespie; based on the novel by Lois Duncan.
Seen Monday, November 3, 1997 at 9:20 p.m.Glenwood Movieplex Cinemas, (Oneida, NY), theater #7 (theater rating: **1/2 - low volume, small screen, slightly uncomfortable seats, theater not dark enough), by myself for free (free press pass).
The horror genre, or more specifically, the slasher genre, is attempting at a comeback whether we want it to or not. What's interesting this time around is that, unlike the completely brain dead flicks of the 1970s and 80s, horror films of today are written and presented with complete logic, which is somewhat commendable. "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is a perfect example of this as it's relatively plausible, but all the logic in the world can't make up for using every cliche in the book.
The story starts off like any horror movie as we meet our main characters - four GenXers living in a small fishing town on the North Carolina coast (none of them have Southern accents though). The first 15 - 20 minutes rushes to define the one-dimensional characters and establish some kind of back story.
First there's Julie (Hewitt), the generic strong-willed-girl-in-a-horror-movie. Then there's her friend Helen (Gellar), the blonde bimbo, and her boyfriend Barry (Phillippe), the short-tempered jock. There's also Julie's boyfriend Ray (Prinze Jr.), the quiet, sensitive guy. Let's not forget Max (Johnny Galecki), the jealous outsider who will become the first suspect once things get rolling.
It's the fourth of July and after Helen wins a beauty contest, the four drive out to the beach, drink a little, fool around, tell the urban legend of "The Man With The Hook," and on the way back accidentally run over a man. They realize if they go to the police they could be charged with manslaughter, so they decide to throw the body into the ocean even though he doesn't seem to be entirely dead (my first clue was when he opened his eyes and tried to strangle them). Everything that had happened up to this point had been believable and entertaining, but then you really have to wonder why they believe their plan will work.
We then flashforward to one year later as Julie returns home from college and receives an anonymous letter (hence the title). The four get together and try to figure out who could have sent it. They're convinced it's Max, but the most obvious suspect is always the first to die.
The mid-section of the film showed promise. The gang does some detective work which is quite interesting and realistic in the way they go about it (using the Internet), and it seems like the killer (someone in a slicker and rain hat with a hook but no face) might be a relative of the person they ran over. But this is a horror film, not a mystery, and soon we're back to scenes of the killer turning corners before the kids see him and hiding in shadows and closets. The killer messes with their heads, often hurting them physically, but doesn't always kill them.
Much like he did with his screenplay to "Scream," writer Kevin Williamson makes it seem like almost anyone could be the killer. Unfortunately, once we realize this the cliches start kicking in full throttle, such as the killer standing behind someone and killing them with hundreds of people around. Or the chase scene where the killer walks, but the victim runs and never seems to be able to get away. Then there's stuff that's idiotic such as when regular people are killed, or the victim who tries to get into and out of a building with locks on the inside!
The ending is the worst of the cliches - a supposedly suspense finale on a fishing boat with lots of places to hide but nowhere to run. There's a fist fight, a heroic rescue, and a revelation of the killer and their motives. In the end justice is served.... or so it seems.
"I Know What You Did Last Summer" ultimately fails because it tries to have the best of both worlds - as both a plausible horror film and a horrific plausible film. But as they old saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it too.
e-mail: ChadPolenz@aol.com (C) 1997 Chad Polenz
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