Firestarter

Although it takes a new approach to adapting Stephen King’s novel for the big screen, the remake of Firestarter likewise never sparks to life.

Trying to mix an atmospheric psychological thriller with a more straightforward supernatural saga, this more thoughtful, and even cerebral, interpretation of King’s story nevertheless bogs down in narrative contrivances and effects-driven visual gimmickry.

The film opens with a cute baby lying in a crib. But when the crib is engulfed in flames moments later, it quickly becomes evident that this is no ordinary child.

Indeed, 11-year-old Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) isn’t fully aware of the extent of her pyrokinetic abilities, passed down inadvertently from her parents, Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon), who have been trying to hide their own psychic capabilities that likely stem from medical experimentation.

Mom and Dad have gone to great lengths to shield Charlie from the outside world, and vice-versa. They know that a scientific researcher (Gloria Reuben) wants to get her hands on the youngster, and that she’s dispatched a ruthless assassin (Michael Greyeyes) to do the dirty work.

That eventually leads to Andy and Charlie fleeing together, with danger lurking at every turn. “Promise me that you’ll never use your gifts to hurt people,” Andy cautions. But ultimately, she realizes she must escape her past to chart her future.

Credit director Keith Thomas (The Vigil) and screenwriter Scott Teems (Halloween Kills) for not mostly sidestepping cheap thrills or genre staples. Instead, they craft a pared-down superhero origin story in which Charlie must come to terms with her powers, except the ominous brooding and scattered frights don’t translate to consistent suspense.

Armstrong (Black Widow) — taking over Drew Barrymore’s role from the 1984 original — offers an expressive performance as the precocious yet impressionable preteen.

Still, the slow-burning script lacks the character depth and emotional complexity to yield much sympathy for the girl or her plight, to conjure much intrigue regarding her troubled family history, or to otherwise heighten the stakes.

This mostly unnecessary reimagining, which features a distinct synth-infused John Carpenter score, doesn’t update its predecessor or the source material in any meaningful way. Taking itself too seriously, Firestarter fails to bring the heat.

Rated R, 94 minutes.