ann hale still knows…
Just eight days left and that means there is just one last opportunity for a movie to cleanse my brain with a little levity. While this film is not considered a horror comedy, it’s so stupid that it keeps me laughing. This film is I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.
Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is still stressed out from her near death experience last summer. Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) invites her to come home for the 4th of July Croaker Pageant to take a break and spend time with him but Julie, being ever so sensitive, cannot take being back in Southport. His feelings hurt, Ray returns to Southport and Julie plans on spending her vacation at home.
Out of nowhere, a call comes in to Julie’s apartment from a radio station. Her roommate Karla (Brandy) answers and her only task is to simply name the capital of Brazil to win an all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas for four. Her answer is Rio and voila! 4 tickets won. Julie calls Ray to invite him but he doesn’t understand why she can go to the Bahamas but not to Southport with him. He changes his mind and decides to surprise her but has a run in with the fisherman and ends up in the hospital. Karla invites her boyfriend Tyrell and taking Ray’s place on the trip is Will Benson, a college student with a sweet spot for Julie.
When they get to the Bahamas, it is the beginning of storm season so they have the entire resort to themselves with the exception of the off season staff. It isn’t long before people begin to die and no one seems to suspect the fisherman until they are told that the capital of Brazil is not Rio, but Brasilia. Now Ray must get to the Bahamas and save Julie before the fisherman gets to her.
Here is why this movie is ludicrous. One, the radio station calls and they don’t turn on the radio, instead they turn on speakerphone. Two, there are four college students and not one of them knows that the capital of Brazil isn’t Rio. Three, no one did any sort of research before their trip to find out that it’s the off season in the Bahamas. Who doesn’t at least look up the resort to see what they have? Four, Jennifer Love Hewitt singing karaoke is just embarrassing. And five, the ridiculous and obvious ending.
I could go on and on about what is stupid in this movie but now let’s get to what I like about it. One, I love Jennifer Esposito. Two, there are some funny parts including Jack Black, who is the stoner pool boy and Brandy, whose popular line in the film is “What did I say?” in order to get the last word. Three, there are some bloody bodies, the most fun being the maid in the dryer. Four, the small role of the hotel manager played by Jeffrey Combs, who you will all remember as Herbert West in Re-Animator.
If there are any lessons to be learned from this film they are this: Learn your damn geography and do a little research on your trip. Perhaps doing so won’t leave you chopped into bits and tumbling around in a commercial dryer.
