Firestarter

Director: Keith Thomas
Starring: Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Michael Greyeyes, Gloria Reuben, Kurtwood Smith, John Beasley, Tina Jung
Distributor: Universal Pictures International
Runtime: 94 mins. Reviewed in May 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Strong themes and violence

A young girl has mysterious telekinetic powers, is pursued by the Institute which shaped her, is protected by her parents, and has to go on the run.

The first version of Stephen King’s Firestarter was released in 1984, starring a young Drew Barrymore, her next film after her success in ET. With its pyrotechnic themes and telepathy, it was linked with King’s Carrie. Now, almost 40 years later, umpteen by umpteen versions, cinema and television series, of Stephen King’s numerous tales, here is a new version of Firestarter.

Reviews, commentary and box office have been rather negative. As might be expected, a lot of the criticism has been along the lines of ‘unnecessary remake’. However, while this might be important for devotees of adaptation of Stephen King’s stories, it may not be so relevant to ordinary cinemagoers. They may not have read the novel. They may not remember the 1984 version. Which means that they would be coming to this version without presuppositions.

In fact, some comments have reminded audiences that the original novel is 500+ pages. Here we have a 94-minute film (including five minutes of final credits). Obviously, not all the novel has been incorporated into the screenplay. Rather, one might say this is something of a streamlined version, the core of the story and the characters fitting into a brief and brisk drama. The characters are the same as in the previous version, including the main names. However, the sinister Captain Hollister is now played by a woman, Reuben.

The screenplay is more straightforward in its narrative, allowing for some flashbacks. The l girl, Charlie McGee (Armstrong who has already appeared in a Stephen King adaptation, It: Chapter Two) has firestarting powers. Her parents, Andy (Efron) and Vicky (Lemmon), also have powers but are protective of their daughter. However, the powers that be at the Institute want Charlie back for further study and experimentation. There is a glimpse of Dr Wanless who initiated the processes, played by veteran Smith, and a previous subject with psychopathic tendencies, Rainbird (Greyeyes).

Some early scenes establish family life – Charlie considered weird at school, a sympathetic teacher, her fire rage breaking out and the family having to go on the run. However, the main episode concerns an old man, Irv (Beasley) picking up father and daughter and giving them some hospitality. However, security is short-lived and the police are called. Rainbird arrives leading to a massacre.

Charlie’s father is interned in the Institute, and Charlie has to quickly find her way back where there is a confrontation and apocalyptic scenes. Not the most startling of Stephen King’s adaptations, but a brief story exploring and dramatising some of his themes.