Firestarter

Name: Firestarter
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Horror
Released: May 13, 2022
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 32
Cast: Danny Waugh, Gavin Maciver-Wright, Gloria Reuben, Hannan Younis, John Beasley

2022

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 47 Ratings

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2.6

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2.6	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 47 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 13, 2022 | R

Starring: Danny Waugh, Gavin Maciver-Wright, Gloria Reuben, Hannan Younis, John Beasley, Kurtwood Smith, Lanette Ware, Michael Greyeyes, Neven Pajkic, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Tina Jung, Vas Saranga, Zac Efron

Summary: For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Andy has taught Charlie how to defuse her power,For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Andy has taught Charlie how to defuse her power, which is triggered by anger or pain. But as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. After an incident reveals the family’s location, a mysterious operative (Michael Greyeyes) is deployed to hunt down the family and seize Charlie once and for all. Charlie has other plans. … Expand

Director: Keith Thomas

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

Michael Talbot-Haynes

May 14, 2022

There is plenty of good meat on the bone here for the hungriest horror hounds. If you have some time to burn, the new Firestarter is definitely worth it. Read full review

Polygon Katie Rife

May 13, 2022

Firestarter 2022 is a marginal improvement on the ’84 original, if only because it has a handful of redeeming qualities rather than virtually none at all. Read full review

Thom Ernst

May 13, 2022

I saw Firestarter at a late-night screening. A person in the audience talked loudly on their phone for much of the film's second half. No one asked them to stop. No one cared. Read full review

Noel Murray

May 12, 2022

When it’s a cautionary tale about an unusual family who’ll never know a moment’s peace because of their past choices, Firestarter is worthy of its source material. When in its last half-hour it turns into chapter one of a potential new superhero franchise, it joins the long list of Stephen King movies that are all gimmick, no guts. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

May 12, 2022

What starts out feeling lean and stylishly stripped-down, with a faintly-creepy young lead, waters her down and winds up playing cut-rate, abridged and cheap. Read full review

Richard Newby

May 13, 2022

The best thing that can be said about this new iteration of Firestarter is that it at least gave us a new score by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel A. Davies. The rest feels like a waste of a talented cast and crew that somehow, against all odds, makes the 1984 film seem like a staggering achievement in the realm of King adaptations. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

May 13, 2022

Perhaps what’s most dispiriting about this Firestarter is how visually impoverished it is. Read full review

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User Reviews

Deviltherobot

May 19, 2022

I always wonder if people have ever seen bad movies. Like ACTUALLY bad movies. This isn't a 0 or any negative score. A 2.3 aggregate? Are we being serious? The movie is well acted (especially Effron), well shot, had some solid effects/gore, great music, what else do people want? At worst theI always wonder if people have ever seen bad movies. Like ACTUALLY bad movies. This isn't a 0 or any negative score. A 2.3 aggregate? Are we being serious? The movie is well acted (especially Effron), well shot, had some solid effects/gore, great music, what else do people want? At worst the pacing needs to be improved. It is a 7/10.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

AmethystVenom

May 14, 2022

It was definitely a rough adaptation. The script needed a lot if work. The movie felt like it was missing pieces. Some of it story points were just dreadful. Most of the acting was terrible. On bright notes Ryan Kiera Armstrong was solid. When her and Zack Effron were on screen together itIt was definitely a rough adaptation. The script needed a lot if work. The movie felt like it was missing pieces. Some of it story points were just dreadful. Most of the acting was terrible. On bright notes Ryan Kiera Armstrong was solid. When her and Zack Effron were on screen together it was great. John Carpenter tunes always a plus. Otherwise only worth watching if you nothing else on.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Jim222001

Feb 6, 2023

Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Zack Efron are decent enough as a daughter and father. Who are hunted because they have Telekinesis powers.
The movie just wasn’t necessary especially by Blumhouse who usually make better original movies than remakes. With Eleven in Stranger Things existing now, aRyan Kiera Armstrong and Zack Efron are decent enough as a daughter and father. Who are hunted because they have Telekinesis powers.
The movie just wasn’t necessary especially by Blumhouse who usually make better original movies than remakes. With Eleven in Stranger Things existing now, a young girl with Telekinesis powers is less fresh than when the original Firestarter came out.
As it is the original Firestarter wasn’t as fresh as Carrie and felt like Stephen King just gave a little girl the same powers.
This Firestarter remake might not have been better if the original never existed either. Since it is still a B-Movie either way. Though, the very end is somewhat touching.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattyIce34

May 14, 2022

It’s bad, but what’s worse is it’s boring. Young girl is pretty good, most everyone else is wooden or afraid to chew scenery.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

docbmac

May 23, 2022

Horrible! Major let-down as when compared to the original, and although it had major shoes to fill they knew the risk! I'm incredibly disappointed with not just the film, but the absolutely horrible acting on Zac Efron's part!

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

bfoore90

May 24, 2022

Script was terrible and to make things worse, it was completely boring and an absolute slog to get through.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

adamtaylor792

Aug 4, 2022

If you've watched every other horror movie on Peacock, download Shudder and get a subscription and watch every horror movie on there before watching Firestarter.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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