“What you waiting for, huh? What are you waiting for?!”

Images courtesy of Showtime

A question that all fans of IKWYDLS know all too well. The popular film franchise is based on the book by Lois Duncan, which I actually read before I saw the first film. If you haven’t read it yet, I definitely recommend it. Things happen differently in the book, which may allow some of your favorite characters to get some deserved redemption.

When I think about 90’s slasher movies, I automatically jump to films like Scream, IKWYDLS and Urban Legend. They are fun, entertaining, and they keep you on the edge of your seat. Humor and teen drama weaves its way in while we witness some pretty intense scares as well.

I was super excited that Showtime added the IKWYDLS films to its lineup, which gave me a chance to catch up on all three films. Yes, there are three films…we’ll get to that later. The deadly fisherman with a hook for a hand becomes all too real after four friends make a fatal mistake that will haunt them forever…or at least for the next few summers.

Please note some spoilers are ahead.

Without any further delay, let’s find out exactly how I ranked the I Know What You Did Last Summer films and why.

1

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Images courtesy of Showtime

The original film is the best one by a landslide. Released in 1997, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe.

There is something really unsettling about this film in all the right ways. The villain is truly terrifying, the music is creepy, and some of the scares still haunt me till now. Seriously, I check my closet every single night before I got to sleep because of what happened to poor Helen (SMG).

Images courtesy of Showtime

The characters are far from perfect. They make a terrible mistake that comes back to haunt them. The killer doesn’t just want to eliminate them…he wants to mess with them and make them question everything and everyone around them.

Standout Death: 

Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this movie!

Images courtesy of Showtime

Helen Shivers played by Sarah Michelle Gellar had the potential to be a fantastic Final Girl, but Julie James took that crown. However, her chase scene leading to her tragic death may be one of my favorite scenes in any slasher movie. I was rooting for her the entire time and the film really shook things up by killing her off. I’m still mad about it…

2

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

Images courtesy of Showtime

The sequel is really not that bad. Released in 1998, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy, and Mekhi Phifer. Julie James is back and wins a trip to the Bahamas with her roommate, Karla. Julie and Ray are on the rocks, but luckily our favorite fisherman shows up in a few clutch moments.

While some of this movie is slightly outrageous, we do get some fun characters, including one played by Jack Black. We witness a fun karaoke performance, a tanning bed nightmare, and a lot of rain to really add to the ambiance.

Images courtesy of Showtime

Plus, there is a pretty big twist at the end which did help things.

Standout Death: 

Images courtesy of Showtime

Not a death scene, but the tanning bed scene does come to mind. Julie decides to try and relax, but the killer locks the tanning bed, which is beyond terrifying.

3

I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)

Images courtesy of Showtime

So, I had no idea for the longest time that this film even existed and after watching it, I know why. The film was released in 2006 and it stars Brooke Nevin, David Paetkau, and Torrey DeVito. None of the original cast appear in this film although we do get a brief mention about what happened to them when the new characters are researching our infamous fisherman killer, Ben Willis.

The beginning of this film is actually kind of interesting. The group of friends decide to play a prank on everyone that actually ends up deadly and they try to cover it up.

That’s pretty much the only interesting part of the movie. The acting is horrible, the kills are gory, but eh, and the twist at the end is so ridiculous that you may think you actually fell asleep during the movie. I won’t reveal the twist here, but wow…and not in a good way.

Standout Death: 

The tractor scene comes to mind, but honestly nothing really sticks out on this one.

I almost wish this movie had come out with a different name. It really doesn’t do the franchise any favors.

While there have been talks about an IKWYDLS television series, I haven’t seen too much on this. I would honestly love to see IKWYDLS take a page out of Scream’s book and give us a film with the original characters while introducing us to a new set of potential victims. Maybe Ben’s son had a son…or daughter? Just a thought…

Which I Know What You Did Last Summer films did YOU enjoy most?

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on the IKWYDLS films in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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