Thanks to Stephen King’s book, Firestarter is responsible for the term pyrokinesis being a part of the modern vernacular. Given its wide notoriety, the premise of Keith Thomas’ Firestarter movie is quickly discernible. The film features a young girl named Charlie McGee (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), who was born with pyrokinesis, along with a few other psychic abilities.
Charlie McGee’s Awakening Powers
As her formerly suppressed powers begin to reawaken, her parents, with psychic abilities of their own, are conflicted on how to approach the re-emergence of their daughter’s ability to conjure fire. With the institute responsible for these psychic abilities not far behind, Firestarter tells the tale of a parent’s love and a girl coming into her own.
Is Firestarter Scary Enough for Horror Fans?
As far as R-rated scary movies go, this is a good “toe-in-the-water” film. There is light use of profanity, no sexual content, and only a few moments that would be considered frightening or gory. Hardened horror fans may be disappointed with the lack of particularly haunting imagery or suspense building.
Horror Heavyweights: John Carpenter and Stephen King
Even with phenomenal performances by the leading cast and the contributions of John Carpenter and Stephen King making this film a reality, Firestarter falls just shy of feeling like an actual horror movie.
John Carpenter’s Signature Touch
With the names of horror heavyweights John Carpenter and Stephen King attached, expectations for Firestarter were bound to be high. While the creepy keyboard music is reminiscent of Carpenter in all his legendary status, the scenes lacked the necessary nightmarish components to amplify the haunting score.
Stephen King’s Classic Tropes in Firestarter
Likewise, the influence of classic Stephen King is evident in so many ways. For example, the movie exhibits traditional King character tropes such as:
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A child with psychic abilities
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An antagonist who hunts down the protagonist via psychic powers
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A father’s bond with his child
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Someone who desires to quit smoking
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A strong Native American character
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A salt-of-the-earth secondary character
Stephen King fans will appreciate the easter egg as Irv Manders (John Beasley) drinks beer called “Ayuh.”
Challenges of Adapting Stephen King’s Horror
However, the film Firestarter was up against the obstacle that many moviemakers have attempted and failed to traverse in the past. So much of the horror behind a Stephen King story relies on the torment and demise of a person’s psychology. It’s hard for a film to accurately depict the running monologue that drives these characters behind the scenes. As such, the interactions feel forced and lack the genuine emotional upheaval that it took to get to this place.
Stellar Cast, Missed Opportunities
While Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Zac Efron, and Gloria Reuben put on amazing portrayals of these characters, it is a shame that the film was not designed to allow the audience to get to know them.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Charlie McGee
Ryan Kiera Armstrong had big shoes to fill when taking on the role of the girl with pyrokinesis, Charlie. As anyone who has seen it will remember, young Drew Barrymore stole the show in 1984’s Firestarter. So much so that it landed her a role in another Stephen King flick released the following year: Cat’s Eye. Armstrong successfully executed this challenging role as her character was immediately believable through her expressive use of body language and facial features.
Zac Efron’s Transformation as Andy McGee
Additionally, Zac Efron has come a long way from his days at Disney, as the role of the flawed, haunted father suited him well. A tough feat for big-named actors, it was difficult to see him as anyone other than Andy McGee while the film was rolling.
Supporting Cast Shines
With equally stellar performances by supporting actors Sydney Lemmon, Gloria Reuben, and Michael Greyeyes, the film felt convincing right away.
Why Firestarter Falls Flat as a Horror Film
Aided by realistic conflicts and the allure of the familiar storyline, Firestarter is fun to watch. It tells a dramatic, tragic tale encircling a family whose only flaw is that the audience didn’t get to know them better. The gripping story leading up to its shocking conclusion makes Firestarter truly worth the watch. For those looking for horror, though, it is only found briefly here.
A Decent Film with Untapped Potential
All in all, Firestarter is a decent film. Its riveting storyline, tremendous acting, and Carpenter/King influences make for a movie that wasn’t bad. However, especially given all its potential for horror greatness, Firestarter falls flat as a horror film. There was a lot left to be desired.
Where to Watch Firestarter
You can watch Firestarter in theaters or streaming on Peacock starting May 13th.