Based on the 1973 novel of the same name, the cult-classic slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer spawned a trilogy of films and became a benchmark in the era's slasher craze. Now, the basic premise is being used as the central plot for an eight-episode series on Amazon Prime, which updates the story for a modern audience with a newly tweaked storyline.
But more than that, I Know What You Did Last Summer embraces a slow-burn tone that benefits the strong young cast and gives them time to explore their characters, thereby raising the overall tension of the story. By leaning more into the thriller elements (while still harkening back to its slasher roots when it needs to), I Know What You Did Last Summer proves to be a compelling win for the streaming service.
I Know What You Did Last Summer takes the basic concept of the original novel and subsequent film -- five teens accidentally strike someone while driving, and their decision to hide the crime spirals out into murderous chaos the following year as someone aware of the truth attacks them -- and reimagines it through a modern lens. In a wealthy corner of Hawaii, Lennon and Alison (Madison Iseman in a dual role) are twin sisters on the verge of graduating high school. Alison has spent the last few years completely in her sister's shadow, while Madison has the affection of almost the entire town, including the flighty influencer Margot (Brianne Tju), the sweet-natured and charming Johnny (Sebastian Amoruso), the drug-dealing cool girl Riley (Ashley Moore) and the withdrawn and awkward Dylan (Ezekiel Goodman).
It's difficult to talk about the narrative without spoiling some fairly genuinely shocking twists that completely transform the show into a far more intriguing thriller than it initially appears. There are secrets abound in the series, all threatening to turn against the teens at any chance, but the cast adjusts well between the moments of levity and the darker shifts, which work well with the scripts by a team featuring Craig William Macneill (Lizzie) and Sarah Goodman (Preacher). The cast is able to juggle the melodramatic moments with an eye of self-awareness, but takes their deceptively deep characters with enough earnest honesty to make them compelling. There is also a genuinely good mystery at the center of the show, keeping the narrative compelling throughout as it bounces back and forth across the two summers.
At times, the show's teen appeal can feel forced and it does fall to some aged tropes of the horror genre as a whole, but the series does an overall strong job with its characters. Particular praise should be awarded to Iseman, who crafts two distinct characters whose identities begin to blur as the central narrative trick to the show is revealed at the end of the premiere episode. Her ability to switch between these different shades of the character hint at a deeper well of talent that she gets to showcase as the mystery deepens. Bill Heck also delivers a central role as their father, giving the surprisingly deceptive character a more lived-in feeling.
I Know What You Did Last Summer is a strong reboot with a clear affection for its very flawed characters. The mystery and the characters work -- the latter largely through the winning cast, and the former thanks to the deft direction and writing. While it does carry some elements that haven't aged well or come off as bizarre (including a surprising importance being paid to the local goats), the overall product is a tense teen thriller that's not afraid to be sexy, tragic or terrifying at the drop of a hat.
I Know What You Did Last Summer premieres Friday, Oct. 15 on Amazon Prime Video.