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Firestarter (2022)
(Universal Pictures/Blumhouse Productions)
By Lucas Allen
Maine’s own Stephen King continues to haunt the imaginations of readers and moviegoers with his stories being adapted to the screen for a new generation. After “It,” “Pet Sematary” and “The Stand,” it’s only natural for another classic King tale like “Firestarter” to be re-adapted for the screen. Originally published in 1980, the book was first adapted for the big screen in 1984 with a post-“E.T.” Drew Barrymore as the title character. This new remake from horror movie powerhouse Blumhouse is directed by indie filmmaker Keith Thomas from a new script by “Halloween Kills” writer Scott Teems.
Ten-year-old Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) is living on the run with her parents, Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon). In college, her parents were part of a government experiment to tap into their psychic powers. When they escaped, their daughter is born with the ability to start fires with her mind, which are becoming more dangerous as she gets older. After an incident at her school, it catches the attention of the organization DSI and Capt. Hollister (Gloria Reuben) orders psychic hunter Rainbird (Michael Greyeyes) to bring the girl back alive.
Soon enough, Andy and Charlie have to hide in plain sight especially when they’re welcomed into the home of an old man named Irv (John Beasley). But it’s not long before Rainbird and the rest of DSI catch up to them. Unfortunately for them, they have no clue what greater power this one little girl will unleash.
The movie does contain some notable tropes from other King stories like mysterious forces, bullies, and a revenge-driven climax. However, any resemblance of the author’s work ends there when the movie becomes the most melodramatic superhero origin story ever made and it feels absolutely wrong. It’s like they took the original book, condensed it completely, and the producers made “studio notes” without doing anything creative. Did no one behind the scenes remember that it’s supposed to be a horror film?
In case the problem wasn’t entirely clear, this movie is not scary nor anything as remotely frightening in a way the story was originally written. Each scene is more dependent on the drama or the action like it’s a Marvel or DC film without much creativity to use. Because they’re trying to stay on budget, it’s shot and edited more like an hour-long TV drama than a movie not helped by a lack of anything memorable to remember.
The only good thing worth noting is the score by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. The horror auteur behind his 1983 King adaptation Christine delivers another lively, goosebumps-style sounds in the same vein as his Halloween music. Naturally, it only tries to liven up the film when the story keeps going nowhere.
All the main characters are written two-dimensionally that the actors don’t do much to make them interesting. Efron may not look believable to play a father, but he seems to be trying his hardest to play a devoted father making psychic stares until his eyes bleed. Though her character teeters on the edge of becoming evil far more than the other film, Armstrong is perfectly fine for a child actress and can handle the intense moments pretty well. There’s a good appearance by Kurtwood Smith (best known for Robocop and That 70’s Show) as an old doctor, but his scene is mainly for the actor to make exposition dumping and sound menacing doing so.
The script for this new “Firestarter” deserves to get burned in a college bonfire. It doesn’t add anything new but instead, it completely shreds any creative imagination from the good Stephen King. Skip this one, and go read some great King stories.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for violent content)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 1.5 Stars (Out of Four)
