When Her Abilities Are Discovered, a Girl with Fire Powers Sparks a Chase

Zac Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong 
in "Firestarter"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Given how extensive Stephen King’s bibliography is, there are going to be some stories that are more recognized than others.  Most of the adaptations that’ve been given over the last few years have come from those familiar books and short stories, such as “It,” which was adapted into a smash-hit two-part movie, a remake of “Carrie” and “Pet Sematary,” and a miniseries based on “The Stand.”  So, whenever we have a chance to see a new adaptation of a lesser-known King story, it’s fun to speculate what we’ve bene missing out on.

Unfortunately, the latest such adaptation to do so doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity.  Director Keith Thomas bring’s us the science-fiction thriller, “Firestarter,” which is based on King’s 1980 novel of the same name, which was adapted into a film back in 1984.  Despite a cast who gives the movie whatever they can offer, they can’t save this film from being a bland misfire.

Charlie McGee (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) is an 11-year-old girl with pyrokinesis.  When an evil organization comes after her for her powers, Charlie’s parents (Zac Efron and Sydney Lemmon) will do whatever they can to protect her.

Despite the movie pretty much being a bottom-of-the-barrel King adaptation, the cast does their best with the material they’re provided.  Efron and Armstrong attempt to wring any emotion out of the father-daughter relationship, while Gloria Reuben does what she can to be an intimidating villain without feeling the need to go over the top.

The screenplay by Scott Teems has a rushed narrative, creating a movie that’s barely an hour and half from a book that’s over 400 pages.  The characters are underdeveloped and given the bare minimum of a proper introduction or not at all, and it’s evident that there could have been so much more done with them, but they’re not provided anymore than the basics.  There are some interesting threads that deserved to be explored more in depth, but an examination of those elements are put on the sidelines as we go from one meh scene to the next.

The material for this movie is ripe for neat action sequences, but Thomas’ direction results in unimaginative action scenes that don’t reach the potential of what could have been done for this movie.  Even the climactic scene in the end doesn’t muster up any sense of thrills.  The film never peaks; it just stays as a straight line, never giving us anything more than generically shot sci-fi sequences.

With all of these missteps, “Firestarter” is never able to keep its flame alight.

Grade: D