Whatever its intentions ‘I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer’, an Aussie horror comedy/spoof, doesn’t succeed in delivering any substantial laughs. It somewhat works as your dumb generic slasher flick but outside of that it fails on all accounts.
This feature debut from Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds focuses on a psychopath, armed with stumps and a razor sharp cricket glove, who goes on a killing spree after his former cricket team-mates tormented him 20 years earlier. Doesn’t that sound inviting?
This mockery of the nineties ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ starts out as your typical murder investigation then turns into a ridiculous story of survival. The bullies are confined in a “remote” cabin forcing these pathetic chumps to prepare themselves to get sliced and diced.
The film has fun with gruesome character fatalities, which mainly revolve around sexual gags, but these unsuccessful scenarios are the only glimmer of comedy. Soon to be perished victims are suffocated by crotch protection, impaled by sharpened cricket stumps, and try to run away whilst in bondage gear. These idiotic deaths may find some praise from easily pleased horror enthusiasts but it’s unlikely.
‘I Know’ lacks any inventive jokes and nosedives into common ground, resulting in unoriginality. Writer Doug Turner makes a last-ditch attempt for amusement with a shower scene, which can only be known as soft porn. It will have its target audience grinning but what’s the relevance?
Another big downfall is the lead isn’t generally funny or appealing in any way. The protagonist is an arrogant detective (Jai Koutrae) who’s an annoying stereotype and isn’t given the chance to develop, but admittedly you don’t expect character arcs from a film like this. Unfortunately there isn’t a fun character to even out the irritation.
Although the material is a bore ‘I Know’ has good pace thanks to good directing and editing. Split screens are introduced upping the creativity and style, however the look of the film cannot force good entertainment.
‘I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer’ tries to have fun with horror conventions but it’s just painstakingly unfunny.
Written by Ben Harris
