Firestarter review: Did the film burn as bright as the novel?

A highly-anticipated remake based on Stephen King's novel should attract everyone's attention fairly easily, but that's exactly what Firestarter fails to do.

Directed by Keith Thomas with a screenplay by Scott Teems, the film revolves around Andy McGee and his daughter Charlie, who is gifted with pyrokinesis. Andy must protect his daughter from the secret government agency and bounty hunter John Rainbird who will stop at nothing to capture Charlie and use her powers for sinister purposes.

Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions.

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Firestarter review: A remake that lacks spark

The 2022 remake of Stephen King's Firestarter dropped today, May 13, starring Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Gloria Reuben and Michael Greyeyes. The film lacks spark, especially in terms of the plot, just like its 1984 version. King's novel, which was published in 1980, is, however, a masterpiece where he explores his fascination with kids who have inexplicable powers.

In the 2022 film, Charlie is portrayed by Ryan Kiera Armstrong who resembles a young Drew Barrymore playing the same role in the older film. It's almost like Armstrong was cut from a similar cloth to Danny from The Shinning and Carrie, who were considered the weird kids.

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A predictable remake

Fans of series like Stranger Things will see a more out-of-control version of Eleven in Charlie. However, that is not enough to make the film gripping. Like most remakes, Firestarter felt more like a film fulfilling contractual requirements rather than an artistic exploration of or a new take on the book. The film is very predictable and a victim of cinematic laziness, leaving the viewers with nothing to talk about.

Firestarter opens with Charlie at her school, unlike the original where she was on the run. After almost revealing her 'gift' and setting everyone on fire, Charlie's emotions are sent into a whirl. Her parents, gifted with powers of their own, are victims and a product of an MK Ultra-type program run by The Shop. Her dad Andy, who is portrayed by Zac Efron, has the ability to 'push' people, which is just mind control.

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Effective and communicative music score

The Shop comes to light when Captain Hollister, portrayed by Gloria Reuben, sends out a morbid soul named John Rainbird, portrayed by Michael Greyeyes, on a hunt to find Charlie and handle the situation. Upon reaching Charlie's house, he encounters her mother and uses her to get to Charlie. After a series of screams and explosions, Andy and Charlie make a run for their lives. The fire in the scene looked underwhelming and almost like a tacky filter.

Sadly enough, Firestarter felt like a cheap production with no memorable moments or out of the box elements. However, the music score for the film is something to be praised for its evocative and engaging nature. Considering that even the climax of the film failed to excite viewers and felt dreary instead, the music score might have been more suitable for a better film.

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Extinguished fire

What can be considered the main problem with Firestarter is that, instead of being an episodic saga where Andy and Charlie navigate their way to find a safe place, it turns into a short film with no scope and weight. While the film was expected to burn brighter than the 1984 version, it was nothing but a pile of ashes.

All-in-all, Firestarter never caught the fire it needed to burn bright and do justice to the warped, nostalgia-ridden novel.

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You can watch the movie in theaters and on Peacock.