Director Keith Thomas's "Firestarter" is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name, which unfortunately doesn't justify its existence. The film is about a couple trying to hide their daughter Charlie from a federal agency who wants to set fire to a weapon of mass destruction with his wonderful gift. His father taught him how to use his power, but by the time Charlie was 11, it was more difficult to control the fire. When a mysterious operation finally finds the family, he tries to hold Charlie forever - but he has other plans.
"Firestarter" begins with Charlie at school, not like the original. Of course, this would lead to a brutal display of power. After a few close calls, Charlie emerges like a phoenix when a dodgeball incident sends his emotions to the brink of extinction. The principal and teacher believe that the torch from the bathroom stall is an explosive device, but the parents do not agree on what to do next. The MK is the product of the experiments of an Ultratype program called The Shop, and you see they have powers too. Dad Andy (Zac Efron) has a genius called "The Push" who basically controls the mind. His daughter's powers seem to be growing and becoming uncontrollable. She was also angered by the telekinetic attack on her mother, Vicky (Sydney Lemon). Mom and Dad must do something hard to save Charlie and himself.
When Captain Hollister (Gloria Reuben), who has been hiding in the shadows for years, calls Charlie a benevolent hunter who can "consciously" handle the situation, the diseased spirit of John Rainbird (Michael Grace) appears with emo rock. For an introduction to the brood, of course. He quickly reaches Charlie's house, but the boy is rewarded for hitting his mother with ice cream. When Charlie and Dad come home, they realize how hot they are now, and they run away. There is some crying and tearing, and some attempts by the father to teach him how to control his forces. Most of the explosions are such that they touch like a Tik Tok filter.
Bloomhouse models aim to lower budgets, but they usually hire directors and production teams who can cut corners with intelligent filmmaking choices. The "Firestarter" looks cheap in most ways, and is cheaper than the older version, which lacks the memorable craft components. Even the score deserved a film that could be used more effectively and in stricter visual language. Everything is close-up here, with action on boring coverage and flatly written dialogue sequences. It's often difficult to understand what happens when things get intense, and director Keith Thomas does a pitiful job as he never puts two people in the same frame because of the close-up and reverse shot composition.
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