Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bloody 1990s horror movie has graphic violence, profanity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Parents say that while the film contains significant violence and gore, it is often viewed as appropriate for teens, with some recommending it for viewers as young as 12 if they are comfortable with horror elements. However, there are mixed opinions on its effectiveness as a horror film, with some praising its classic status and mystery, while others note the extreme language, underage drinking, and the film’s relatively tame scares compared to modern standards.
- violence consideration
- teen audience
- mixed reviews
- classic status
- strong language
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 40 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a mixed bag; while many find it an entertaining slasher, there are criticisms regarding its graphic violence, strong language, and pacing compared to the original book. Overall, it is considered a decent choice for older teens looking to explore the horror genre, though parental guidance is advised due to its content.
- entertaining slasher
- graphic violence
- strong language
- mixed reviews
- decent for teens
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, four high school seniors—couples Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Barry (Ryan Phillippe)—are looking forward to graduation and promising young-adult lives. But, driving recklessly after a night of drinking and cuddling on the beach, they run over a stranger. Hotheaded Barry, perceiving their bright tomorrows in jeopardy, has the group dump the body in the sea and swears them all to secrecy. Horrifically, the mangled victim, going under, appears to be still alive. A year later, college student Julie gets a ransom note reading, "I know what you did last summer," which compels her to reunite with her estranged friends, who claim ignorance about who could have sent the note and why. Barry suspects it came from a disliked schoolmate, Max (Johnny Galecki), who had encountered them that grim night, and he tries to intimidate him. But then Max turns up murdered himself, and that's hardly the end of the carnage.
Is It Any Good?
This unimaginative slasher is too bloody and brutal for kids. I Know What You Did Last Summer taps into spooky-story appeal, with a stellar cast who had been reigning on popular TV shows of the time. But there's not much under the surface (or even on the surface, for that matter) besides a familiar setup. Still, I Know What You Did Last Summer does have a sort of morality: Teens who lied about committing manslaughter experience repercussions, and not just the obvious, gory ones. Under the cloud of what they did last summer, the once-close quartet drifts apart. Their suspicions, eventually directed against one another, make them easier targets for the real villain. Alfred Hitchcock this isn't, though scriptwriter Kevin Williamson came closer to that lofty ambition with the similarly bloody but dark-humored Scream and its sequels. Ultimately, it's a straightforward teen horror movie with a lasting place in late-1990s pop culture.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the enduring appeal of slasher movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer. Why do people, especially teens, love being scared?
How is background music used to heighten moments of suspense here? How is background music used to heighten scenes in other genres, such as Westerns, comedies, and war movies?
How is the element of surprise a crucial feature of horror movies? How does surprise try to create scares in this particular movie?
Does the film suggest that protecting your future justifies covering up a crime? Or does it ultimately argue that true accountability, no matter how painful, is the only path to redemption? Do you think the main characters deserve the deadly consequences? And what are the actual right ways to hold people accountable for wrongdoing?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 4, 1997
- On DVD or streaming : June 16, 1998
- Cast : Jennifer Love Hewitt , Ryan Phillippe , Sarah Michelle Gellar
- Director : Jim Gillespie
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Tristar
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : School ( College & Graduate School ) , Family Stories , Friendship , Holidays ( Halloween , Independence Day )
- Run time : 101 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong horror violence and language
- Last updated : January 16, 2026
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