Elemental powers andStephen Kingmake the perfect cocktail for a sci-fi horror film. Long before Blumhouse Productions started work on the 2022 remake, the originalFirestarterfrom 1984 set the stage for Charlie McGee’s story.
Four years after Stephen King’s novel of the same name hit bookshelves in 1980,Firestarterwas released in theaters. The film was directed byMark L. Lester, who also directedCommandoandClass of 1984. The film follows Andrew McGee and his girlfriend, Vicky, as they undergo a scientific experiment as college students. The mysterious drug they take leaves them with supernatural abilities, which their daughter, Charlie, inherits. When government forces realize Charlie’s exceptional power, they take extreme–and deadly–measures to ensure her power becomes their own.
David Keith, who would later play Jack Murdock in the 2003Daredevil, is Andrew McGee inFirestarter. The experiment grants him mind-controlling powers that come at a cost. He plays a protective father and guardian of Charlie as the agency that turned him into a superpower, known as the Shop, comes after his family.Heather LocklearofThe Return of the Swamp Thingis his wife, the mind-reading Vicky McGee. Starring as the young girl with a spark is a 9-year-oldDrew Barrymore, who steals the screen with her captivating gaze and chilling, destructive powers. The head of the original experiment is Dr. Joseph Wanless, played byFreddie Jones. Jones is also known for his work on the 1984Duneand the 1980 dramaThe Elephant Man.
Now with Universal set to release a newFirestartermovie, it’s a good time to revisit this cult classic. Here’s how you can watch the 1984Firestarter.
Related:John Carpenter’s ‘Firestarter’ Soundtrack Coming to Digital and Vinyl
Is Firestarter (1984) Streaming Online?
The Stephen King classic is currently available for streaming via Max Go. Additionally, the film is also available to rent for $3.99 on Amazon, Vudu, iTunes, Microsoft, Google Play, RedBox, and YouTube.
How Are the Reviews of Firestarter (1984)?
Despite having its own following of horror and sci-fi fans,Firestarterreceivedlargely negative reviewsupon its release. While the film received a 53% audience score, it got a low 37% on theRotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. Individual, renowned viewers had their own thoughts on the film, including Stephen King.
Pulitzer Prize-winning American film criticRoger EbertgaveFirestarteronly two stars. He described the movie as “boring.” He also criticized the portrayal of the characters. Although acknowledging the cast as fully capable, he admitted “there’s not a character in this movie that is convincing.” Here is an excerpt of his closing thoughts onFirestarter:
The film’s crucial flaw is the lack of a strong point in the story. A little girl has her dangerous power, some government agents want to examine her, others want to destroy her, and things catch on fire. That’s about it.
Gary ArnoldofThe Washington Postprovided his own thoughts on the film adaptation in his review, titled“Wholly Smoke.”He criticized how director Lester made the fiery Charlie into a victim, Keith’s performance as Andrew McGee, and the brashly stereotypical portrayal ofGeorge C. Scott’s Native American assassin. Below is his take on why the flames ofFirestarteraren’t all they’re cracked up to be:
The only persuasive illusion is that certain stuntmen are being engulfed in flames in the line of duty, a situation that seems more compelling than the little heroine’s alleged need to defend herself by launching a special-effects holocaust… at any rate, Lester is incapable of coaxing a persuasive approximation of fury out of her.
Most startling of all isStephen King’s reaction to the film.American Filmmagazinepublished an interview with him in 1986 in which he discussed his ongoing film at the time,Maximum Overdrive, and other adaptations of his books.Firestarterdid come up, but not favorably:
Firestarteris one of the worst of the bunch, even though in terms of story it’s very close to the original. But it’s flavorless; it’s like cafeteria mashed potatoes. There are things that happen in terms of special effects in that movie that make no sense to me whatsoever.
He, likeThe Washington Post, spoke poorly of Keith’s performance. He also criticizedMartin Sheen’s delivery of Captain Hollister’s character. In this same interview, King also expressed his opinions on other movies based on his books, such asThe Shining,The Dead Zone, andCarrie.
Related:‘Firestarter’ (2022): Trailer, Release Date, Cast and Everything We Know So Far
How Will the 2022 Firestarter Compare to the Original?
The 2022 Blumhouse Productions’Firestarterwill release on July 26, 2025. You can watch the trailer below.
The remake returns with the same roster of main characters, but they are markedly different from the original.Zac Efron, who recently starred inGoldand the Netflix crime thrillerExtremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, assumes Keith’s role as Andrew McGee. The trailer depicts him as a man who is well-prepared to deal with his daughter’s developing abilities. He and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) are smart protectors of their daughter, fearful for her safety and determined to keep her safe from the Shop. Already these parents seem far more capable and proactive than those in the 1984 film.
Twelve-year-oldRyan Kiera Armstrong, who is known forThe Tomorrow WarandAmerican Horror Story, is Charlie. The young firestarter struggles to cope with her explosive powers in the modern world. Just in the trailer, she expresses heightened emotions, nearing that fury that leads to horror more than Barrymore’s Charlie ever did. Screaming as she sets enemies ablaze, and admitting she even takes a sort of pleasure from harming others, audiences see a Charlie who has agency–the kind that gives goosebumps.
Replacing Freddie Jones isKurtwood Smithas Dr. Joseph Wanless. Smith has experience playing sketchy figures, from a crime lord in the 1987Robocopto a corrupt politician inAgent Carter, equipping him for the role of an unethical scientist.
Captain Hollister is now a Black woman, played byGloria Reuben. Her recent work includes the hit showMr. Robot, the Marvel seriesCloak & Dagger, and the NBC showBlindspot. Refreshing the power-hungry military official, and thereby diversifying the cast, is sure to give fans a new and invigorating take on Captain Hollister.
Another significant change in the cast is that of the Native assassin, John Rainbird. Previously played in the 1984Firestarterby a white man, Nêhiyaw actorMichael Greyeyesis taking over, authenticating the role. He recently played a conflicted man with secrets inWild Indian. Now playing an assassin, he seems fit and ready for the part, actively pursuing the McGees in the trailer and hunting them relentlessly.
The 1984Firestartermay have garnered lackluster reviews, but it stayed true to the written tale. The 2022 remake has a sinister and foreboding mood, matching the horror genre King is famous for. As for how far it will stray from the plot of King’s masterpiece, we’ll find out on May 13.
