Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) isn’t like other kids. Her parents, Aaron (Zac Efron) and Victoria (Sydney Lemmon) live without cellphones, laptops or other technology, making her unpopular at school. They’ve been on the run since Charlie was a baby because all three of them have telekinetic powers. Life isn’t easy for this untraceable family who has lived under the radar for a long time, but when Charlie realizes she can set fire to things when she’s upset, her parents are torn about whether to tell her the truth about their abilities. When an fiery incident at school alerts Captain Hollister (Gloria Rueben), the head of a secret scientific facility, to their whereabouts, she sends in a ruthless agent Rainbird (Michael Greyeyes). He is a powerful telekinetic himself, and as Aaron and Charlie go on the run from Rainbird, they can only hope their powers and luck can keep everyone safe from Charlie’s wrath.
Director Keith Thomas takes a Stephen King classic and updates it for modern times. Written by Scott Teems, this version of Firestarter emphasizes family drama and loss and the dangers of authority trying to control a little girl and her powers. Greyeyes and Rueben play calculating villains, while Armstrong plays Charlie with tons of emotion, showing the turmoil this powerful little girl goes through. Filmed in Hamilton, Ontario and with a score by horror great John Carpenter and his son Cody, this effects-heavy supernatural thriller takes you on a fugitive ride full of surprises.
