But more than any other genre, the market for horror sequels is always high, even while most seem like remakes of the original that don’t live up to the initial’s hype. So, in the same way that many series suffer from a downward spiral, such is the fate of I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer. Always is the third installment of the I Know What You Did Last Summer series, and after viewing this film, I have to say that I hope to never see a fourth.
The premise is simple, because it is just more of the same. The specter known as the "Fisherman" (Don Shanks) returns every Independence Day to slay unsuspecting teens who have a secret to hide from the previous year. But unlike the original, Always has the Fisherman possessing supernatural powers, even when the movie tries to keep you guessing as to the reality of the killer.
I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer’s murders begin because a teenage prank goes all wrong, resulting in the death of one of their own. As one group of friends tries to scare the other with stories of the Fisherman, their fake angel of death chases a friend off the end of a building, causing him to perish when the safety of mattresses on the ground is replaced by the impaling metal of a tractor. A year then passes, and the Fisherman returns for the souls of those who made a pact never to speak again of the prank that they tried to pull off.
While on the surface this appears like many suspense/horror thrillers, I wish I could find my own sharp metal fish hook to gouge my eyes out instead of watching the awful acting, poor writing, and some of the shameful directing choices present in the film. The only thing that remotely kept my interest was the occasionally gruesome slaying, which was often graphic, but more importantly, eliminated one more actor from the screen.
The original may have been a blockbuster, but this third installment should be considered simply as an okay "B" movie at best. The movie just didn’t hold my attention as I thought it would. The special features are also lacking, and essential consist of Commentary, Behind the Scenes (which isn’t all that informative), and Previews of other bad movies. If you’re into horror flicks, wait until you have a free rental saved up, but if you’re a casual horror fan or a fan of the series, be warned that Always may disappoint.
