Firestarter

Charlie McGee is a precocious girl whose eyes seem to spark real flame whenever she feels fear, anger, or joy. Her father, Andy, has kept her sheltered from a shadowy government program that believes her talents could reshape the world. When their quiet life starts to crumble, they are pursued by a relentless agency that views Charlie as both a key and a threat. Dad's love becomes a shield as he tries to outpace investigators, protect his child, and find a way to keep the flames from spiraling out of control. The chase blends family drama with a high stakes game of hide and seek across city streets and wilderness, escalating through blocks, roads, and forests and leaving doubt lingering.

Directed by Mark L Lester, Firestarter is adapted from Stephen King with additional screenplay by Stanley Mann. The 1984 thriller pairs a tense pursuit with practical effects as it follows a protective father and a child with truly dangerous gifts.

With a 15 million budget, it earned roughly 17.08 million worldwide, marking a modest box office so far for a late 1980s horror thriller. In subsequent years, it has seen renewed interest from fans of Stephen King adaptations worldwide again.

Charlie McGee, played by a young Drew Barrymore, became an emblematic image of raw psychic power in 80s horror. The film contributed to the era's fascination with kids as dangerous outsiders, and its flame motif still surfaces in nostalgia lists and campy revivals, influencing screen portrayals of children with powers.

Critics were divided on its balance of fear and sentiment, but many note the film captures a blunt critique of coercive state power, while also centering a father's devotion as a counterweight to extraordinary danger. The story wrestles with control, responsibility, and the costs of power at the time now.