Julie James doesn’t maintain a candle to Sydney Prescott and a lot of that has to do with how they’re framed of their respective tales.
Editor’s Be aware: this scorching take isn’t meant to be the ultimate phrase on the I Know What You Did Final Summer season sequel. We’re trying ahead to it right here on the positioning, and this text is supposed to begin a enjoyable debate on a film that may very well be nice – or not.
Can cease this absurd notion that Julie James is as necessary to the horror world as Sydney Prescott? In my view, she’s hardly even necessary in her personal (brief) franchise. It looks like an insult to a personality that has been put via the ringer for over 30 years like Sydney. Particularly when Julie’s exploits occurred over only one 12 months (1997-1998) and was principally self-inflicted. Perhaps don’t dump the physique of the man you and your mates murdered. Sydney was merely a sufferer of one thing she couldn’t management (her mom’s promiscuity and all that entailed). They’re not even on the identical taking part in subject. To place Julie James and Sydney Prescott on the identical stage is an insult to horror heroines.
And but article after article has been posted, performing as if Jennifer Love Hewitt’s return as Julie James within the new reboot has even just a little little bit of the importance of Neve Campbell returning for Scream 7. Whereas they might have come up on the identical time collectively, there’s no motive to lump them collectively in something aside from time interval of launch. These characters, their movies, and their impacts couldn’t be extra colossally completely different. Scream modified the complete horror panorama and introduced meta to the mainstream. We’re nonetheless feeling the ripples of it in modern-day horror. I Know What You Did Final Summer season was a rushed reply to the success of Scream. Nothing extra. As a result of in contrast to the Scream franchise which is at the moment filming its seventh entry, the I Know sequence was relegated to only the three movies. Whereas the primary movie has its followers, the second is an objectively horrible movie that despatched the sequence on a direct to DVD path.
Relating to the Scream franchise, there isn’t a yet one more necessary than Neve Campbell’s Sydney Prescott. Of the six (quickly to be seven) Scream movies, Sydney is a large a part of 6 of them. Hell, she’s the complete motivation for not one, not two, however arguably seven Ghostface killers. She matches the ultimate woman trope whereas utterly calling out its lunacy. And the meta component of the Stab sequence, permits the movies to touch upon themselves, whereas nonetheless staying true to the world created. Sydney is necessary and the character’s remark as a lot. However what significance does Julie James have for a brand new entry?
Let’s simply say this new movie (that includes a solid that features Madelyn Cline as Julie’s daughter) takes one in all two routes: Julie’s daughter is concerned in the same “accidental kill that they try to hide” occasion or somebody makes use of the unique accident as motivation to take out Julie’s household, for punishment over the household they themselves by no means received to have. You’ll be able to even convey again one in all Hook-hand Ben’s members of the family as somebody out for revenge. However it simply brings extra questions than solutions. What are the possibilities of ANOTHER accident taking place to the identical household? And in the event that they go the opposite route, then why did somebody take almost 30 years to precise their revenge on Julie (and technically Ray, since Freddie Prinze Jr is returning as effectively)? So if it’s not revenge, then how would Julie even be related to a completely new killer?
So it’s been bizarre to see journalists and followers treating the return of Julie James as a being a large second for horror. I’m glad Jennifer Love Hewitt is getting paid effectively (we imply no disrespect to her – she’s a very good actress) however to behave just like the film couldn’t have been made with out her involvement is simply foolish. Julie James is totally expendable and has confirmed as such in her two appearances in movie. Hell, her therapy of Ray in I Nonetheless Know, is completely egregious, together with her utterly tossing him to the wayside as a result of he has PTSD and she or he simply needs to go on trip together with her mates. She’s really terrible. Julie blends in with all the opposite unhealthy characters in a slasher film and by no means proves why she stands out. As an alternative, she simply stumbles right into a conclusion. If something, Ray Bronson is extra necessary to the franchise than Julie James ever was. He truly has some sort of drive and will get shit executed. Julie is continually in sufferer mode; one thing I might by no means think about Sydney Prescott even flirting with. So what’s the purpose in her returning?
However what do you assume? Am I being too harsh on Julie James? Is she truly necessary to her franchise? Will the brand new remake be good? Or will it suck balls? Tell us within the feedback – we’d love to listen to from Julie James stans!
