“Firestarter” Review!

Cast: Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong

Director: Keith Thomas

"Firestarter" is an American science fiction thriller film directed by Keith Thomas from a screenplay by Scott Deems, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. "Firestarter" is about a young woman who has the ability to start a fire!

The film opens with a flashback scene of a baby Charlene "Charlie" McGee (later played by Ryan Keira Armstrong) resting in her crib, when out of nowhere she starts on her cell phone and starts setting the room on fire on top of her. Suddenly her father Andrew "Andy" McGee (Zac Efron) run into the room. He picks up the child and suddenly the child also catches fire. Andy is in bed now. When he went downstairs, he found Charlie sitting at the table, a little older now. After having a dream in which Charlie plays with a lighter, Charlie's mother Victoria "Vicki" Tomlinson-McGee, played by Sidney Lemmon, joins Andy to talk to Charlie about how to control them as Charlie's powers become more chaotic.

Dr. Andy and Vicki participate in an FDA clinical trial, this time through taped interviews of Joseph Wanless (Curtwood Smith). Questions begin to move towards supernatural powers. Through flashbacks, we learn that they must be injected with an experimental chemical compound called Lot-6, which unknowingly gives them superhuman strength, Andy gains telepathy, and Vicky gains telekinesis.

Today, Charlie has an "event" at school, where he explodes in a bathroom stall after being bullied. At a secret location, Captain Jane Hollister (Gloria Reuben) follows Charlie and Dr. Joseph goes to see Wanless, who tells Hollister that he must kill Charlie before his powers get stronger. Hollister enlists the help of John Rainbird (Michael Grays) to find Charlie.

What follows is a good horror/thriller. There are some decent set pieces, lots of scenes of Charlie screaming and setting fire, as well as trying to develop his powers and learn to control them. The film starts off strong and the opening scene with the baby is great and grabs the audience's attention, unfortunately by the time we see Charlie's character things fade a bit and the film really succeeds. Full progress.

Ryan Kiera Armstrong is excellent as young Charlie, and Zac Efron gives a strong performance as the father and delivers convincing lines. Overall a good movie to watch.

https://youtu.be/59MJfJPP5eo