Firestarter - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Firestarter



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


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Movie
Remakes are always a tricky thing, especially when the original isn’t exactly a gem to begin with. That’s not to say a remake can’t surprise people’s low expectations, just that it’s harder to do a second time and not be a copycat, or end up just being a cheap attempt at a cash grab. And lets face it, Firestarter in the 80s was NOT exactly high brow entertainment. It’s only claim to fame is that it has a baby Drew Barrymore in it and was a unique story from Stephen King. But then there’s the fact that the Firestarter book isn’t exactly one of King’s best either. So when it was announced that Universal shuffled the theatrical release for Firestarter 2022 to it’s streaming service Peacock, lets just say that I had warning bells going off in my head.

The film uses a montage of past and modern events to clue everyone into the fact that Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) is the offspring Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) McGee, both of whom were experimented on by government agents years ago. These experiments gave them psychic powers, with Andy able to control people’s mind, and Vicky able to use telekinesis. However, Charlie is the first natural born Meta human and her powers are even more intense. Able to start fires with her mind, she and her parents hide from the government officials that hunt them to this day. That is until Charlie can’t control her powers anymore and said government agents hone in on her.

The shadowy organization who started it all sends another meta after them as an assassin, leaving Vicki dead, with Charlie and Andy on the run. Naturally this is going to end one way, as the agents close in on their location and Charlie is forced to hone her skills to protect what is left of her family.

Uggg. I knew this wasn’t going to be great, but holy cow, this was a BOMB. I can totally see why Universal decided to forego the high profile theatrical release and stick it on Peacock. Nothing about the movie is fresh at all, and barely skims the surface of the original book (let alone movie) at a bare 94 minutes of runtime AFTER credits. The whole thing just feels extremely low budget, with plot points moving so fast you barely have time to grasp them at all before we’re on to the next kinetic fire bursting seen.

I kind of feel bad for Zac Efron, as he’s actually gotten better as an actor. However, he’s stifled with a nonsensical plot, a rushed pace, and he and Charlie are both squandered in their roles. We even get a 5 second cameo from veteran actors John Beasley and Kurtwood Smith, but those are also squandered for mere moments on screen. All in all, Firestarter is a horrible movie that just fails every litmus test for existing, let alone being entertainment.




Rating:

Rated R for violent content




Video:

The disc looks quite good on Blu-ray, but never perfect. The digital cinematography is consistent, with a slightly white and red push that keeps things looking a bit warm and hot. Fine details tend to be really good when in the daylight sequences, but night shots and internal buildings tend to look a little bit soft and gauzy at times. Colors pop when necessary, such as the green grass around the farmhouse, and red CGI blood is a bit TOO obvious if you know what I mean, but overall this is a good looking 1080p transfer.







Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA satisfies just as well as the video, delivering a good sonic experience without ever being too ambitious. The film can be very quiet and dialog intensive for a lot of the time, but then be punctuated by blasts of LFE and heavier use of the surrounds when the Metas use their powers. It’s not going to be a massive action track, but the track checks off the appropriated check boxes to make an enjoyable mix. Good representation in the front of the room, solid bass response when appropriate, and a decently immersive use of the surrounds.












Extras:

• FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR KEITH THOMAS
• ALTERNATE ENDING
vDELETED AND EXTENDED SCENES
- Andy Reflects in Mirror
- Andy's Lot Six Nightmare – Extended
- Wanless Gets a Visitor – Extended
- Rainbird Scare/Wildlife Hunt
- Charlie Treks to Find Andy
- Charlie Counts Down "Five, Four, Three, Lies
- Andy's Visionary Escape From the Cell
• GAG REEL
• A KINETIC ENERGY – Filmmakers and cast discuss how stars Zac Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong worked closely with director Keith Thomas to bring this new FIRESTARTER to life.
• SPARK A FIRE – A look at how the story and themes of FIRESTARTER were adapted from the famous novel.
• IGNITING FIRESTARTER – A behind-the-scenes look at how some of FIRESTARTER's most extreme fire effects and stunts were accomplished.
• POWER STRUGGLE – A breakdown of the physical stunts and practical effects that came together to craft the fight scene between Rainbird and Vicky.

Final Score: ​

Firestarter is an ok book by King, but the movie adaptations have been mediocre at best. This latest one shows all the hallmarks of a rushed and sloppy production, with it getting shuffled off on Peacock streaming at the last moment. It’s not good. It’s not so awful that it’s fun either. It just is a bad movie. The Blu-ray looks and sounds pretty good, and there’s actually an impressive array of extras including a feature length commentary. However, as I said, this is just a bad movie. Skip it.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon
Directed by: Keith Thomas
Written by: Stephen King (Novel), Scott Teems
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, French, Spanish DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Universal
Rated: R
Runtime: 95 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: May 28th, 2022

Recommendation: Skip It

 

[Asere]

I will definitely skip it. I knew a remake was going to be a big mistake. There is nothing like the original Firestarter. Thanks for the review.

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I also have no idea why they (hollywood) would want to redo originals. The best was the original, so why mess with it? Money grab?? Lol.

Will skip this.

 

[Epoxy1]

So glad I didn't request this one. Thanks for taking one for the team!