The film inevitably drew both positive and negative comparisons to Scream, also written by Williamson. Mick LaSalle considered the movie inferior to its predecessor. Richard Harrington, on the other hand, cited IKWYDLS as superior to Scream; he described the newer picture as "... a smart and sharply-drawn genre-film with a moral center, and with a solid cast of young actors to hold it." Derek Elley of Variety was also enthusiastic, calling the film a "polished genre piece with superior fright elements that should perform at better-than-average theatrical levels." Roger Ebert gave the movie one of four stars and wrote that "The best shot in this film is the first one. Not a good sign." Entertainment Weekly praised Jennifer Love Hewitt's performance, noting that she "knows how to scream with soul".
