I remember first seeing this film as a child during a sleepover and thought it was scary seeing someone setting something on fire on purpose. Let’s jump many years later and realize it’s just a horror film and my husband wish he had that ability – LOL, especially when his grill won’t work. This is another film adaptation from a Stephen King novel, the others include Carrie [1976] (& other adaptations), Creepshow [1982], The Shining [1980] & [1997], Christine [1983], Cujo [1983], The Shawshank Redemption [1994], The Green Mile [1999] and many others.

The film starts with a couple participating in a medical experiment, of which her mother Vicky (Heather Locklear (The Return of Swamp Thing [1989])) got a placebo and her the father Andrew McGee (David Keith (Carrie [2002])) while gain telepathic abilities who then have a daughter Charlie (Drew Barrymore (Scream [1996])) who makes things catch on fire. Andrew and Charlie are on the run from the CIA because of their abilities; in flashback scenes we see Charlie trying to control her abilities, for example, one was setting Vicky’s oven mitts ablaze. They find their way to a farm run by Irv (Art Carney) and Norma (Louise Fletcher (Grizzly II: The Revenge [1983])); soon enough the CIA catch up with them and to stop them Charlie sets them on fire. Without much rest or warning they must flee however one of the CIA killers, John Rainbird (George C. Scott (The Changeling [1980])) devises a plan to capture and return them back to the headquarters aka “The Shop.” Captain Hollister (Martin Sheen (The Final Countdown [1980])) makes promises that if she “performs” her fire abilities she’ll be able to see her dad, who is separated from him while she refuses an orderly John (Scott) who Charlie thinks is her friend convinces her to create pyrokinetic fires. In the meantime, Andrew decides not to take the medicine being forced on him and pretends to take it and once that happens his ESP ability returns, and he manipulates Hollister into getting him to Charlie. In the end, Andrew, Charlie, & John meet in a barn for the final explosive deadly showdown. For those who may not have seen the film I’ll let you find out what happens in the end.

I enjoyed revisiting this movie as it brought back memories and also seeing it with my husband is always a treat since he’s a huge horror aficionado. This is a good adaptation of a Stephen King novel as sometimes they’re not always that great, but I recommend seeing this one.

The film was followed by a mini-series in 2002 called Firestarter: Rekindled and remade in 2022.

TAGLINES:

• She has the power . . . an evil destructive force.
• If you get on her bad side…YOU’RE TOAST.
• Will she have the power… to survive?
• Charlie McGee is a happy, healthy eight-year-old little girl. Normal in every way but one. She has the power to set objects afire with just one glance. It’s a power she does not want. It’s a power she can’t control. And, each night, Charlie prays to be just like every other child. But there are those who will do everything in their power to find her… or destroy her.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087262/

IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

3C Rating: 6.0/10