For more than a decade, parents Andy McGee (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie (Ryan-Kiera Armstrong) from a shadowy federal agency, DSI, or otherwise known as 'The Shop' that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Andy, having his own powers, has taught Charlie how to defuse her power, which is triggered by anger or pain. But as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. After an incident reveals the family's location, a mysyerious operative from 'The Shop' named Rainbird (Michael Greyeyes) is deployed by Captain Hollister (Gloria Reuben) to hunt down the family and seize Charlie once and for all, however Charlie has other plans.
Others to round out the cast are Kurtwood Smith as Dr. Joseph Wanless, John Beasley as Irv Manders, Tina Jung as Ms, Gardner, Hannan Younis as Darla Gurney, Gavin Maciver-Wright as Gavin, Jamillah Ross as Officer Pierce, Danny Waugh as Sheriff Perry and Lanette Ware as Principal Lewis.
This was directed amazing well by Keith Thomas ("The Vigil" '19) plus a short and a music video, especially considering he has very limited experience behind the camera. Efron's staid yet concerned character was paced and staged well. It would've been easy to develop his character as over-the-top, but this approach is not only fresher, but much more effective, and this is decisive directing. It was interestingly written by Scott Teems ("That Evening Sun" '09, "Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey" (documentary) '14, "The Quarry" '20, "Halloween Kills" '21) plus TV and a short, based on the novel by Stephen King. This was surprisingly written effectively given it is a remake, and considering Teems is a somewhat experienced writer, it helped in how the film was sequenced. Like many of King's work, the ending was a bit abrupt--a bit like Hitchcock when he ended his films, and he was 'the master of suspense'. The cast was effective especially that of Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Charlie. She held her own with finesse and professionalism all the while never being upstaged by her adult counterparts. She will undoubtedly receive more work. It was certainly as effective as the original if not better, but when one has the basis which is a King novel, how bad could it be?
If you're a King aficionado, you will revel with this--it is quintessential King clear through. It's short, concise, sequenced well, all with an ending that you can conclude which makes it a different film that's not all tied up with a nice bow by end credits.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 94mins.
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