(Credit: Netflix)

Netflix is obsessed with murder right now. Every week, there is another documentary about a charming criminal or a neighbour who was not as normal as they looked. People watch them half out of curiosity and half out of routine. So when I Know What You Did Last Summer showed up again, it slipped right into that mood.

You see, the horror season has arrived, but we all know that Netflix is on a murder mystery and true-crime spree, so we might as well go with it. Hence, the new 2025 version of I Know What You Did seems to be back on the charts.

It takes the familiar story of the 1997 original of the same name and gives it a new vision. It was released earlier this year and starts with a group of friends who have a terrible secret and a mysterious someone who refuses to let them forget it. And although it is not technically horror, it is perfect for the spooky season.

The film is self-aware in a way the older one never was. You can almost feel it winking at you as it goes through the motions. The feeling you will get watching it can be described as knowing you have seen this before, but you still want to know who dies next.

That is the thing about kitsch horror. It does not have a subtlety or clever subtext. Instead, it just goes straight for what looks and sounds exciting. And though the reception at its time of release was not huge, it is picking up pace now.

Something about the story of I Know What You Did, reveals just enough to keep you on the hook, but it rarely slows down to make you think too hard. The deaths are ridiculous, and the hook literally shines under a spotlight like it knows it is the main character.

Most horror these days tries too hard to say something profound. This one openly says that it just wants to entertain. It knows you are not here for trauma metaphors or heavy symbolism. Of course, people need to catch a break after watching Monster: The Ed Gein Story. There is hardly anyone out there who wasn’t traumatised by it, and after watching all that, all you require is an easy watch, but scary enough for the Halloween season.

The new film also understands nostalgia better than most reboots. It keeps the bones of the 90s original but gives it that modern Netflix glow. You can tell it was made for streaming with its fast opening and short scenes. The film is well aware of the shorter spans, and it uses that to its advantage.

So in a world full of grim true crime and slow-burn thrillers, I Know What You Did Last Summer feels refreshingly unserious. Go ahead and press play on this thriller this Halloween.