Firestarter is a remake of the 1984 horror thriller based on Stephen King’s novel. This version would be right at home in fire because the script should’ve been burned after the first draft – which it looks like the filmmakers went with.
This one stars Zac Efron as a father whose also a mentalist and he has a daughter that possesses the gift of pyrokinesis. She can make fire appear at will, and she has no control over it. Ryan Kiera Armstrong plays her and her performance is perhaps the lone bright spot in this uninspired clunker.
Her dad tries to keep them one step ahead of a government agency that wants to use her powers. They’re also on the run from a bounty hunter (Michael Greyeyes) who also wants her abilities. They are not having a good day.
All of these actors seem absolutely lost in this dull and fright-free movie that doesn’t generate any kind of suspense or even plausible stakes. Nor are these characters memorable or compelling in the slightest except for the girl. There’s one other character that the father/daughter run into that does have a likable quality, but his fate is pretty much sealed from the second we meet him.
Plus, don’t even get me started on the climax, which is frustrating and incomprehensible and obviously sets itself up for a sequel.
“Burn, baby! Burn!” That was what I thought a couple of times while watching the movie, but I was referring to the film stock.
Grade: D
(Rated R for violent content.)
