Even before it begins laying waste to the reputations of cast members, "Firestarter" is promptly exposed as a derivative embarrassment of a conception.

The film's crucial flaw is the lack of a strong point to 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.

“Firestarter” is at its best when Scott seizes central focus, and if people remember the movie fondly, his performance as the two-faced killer. We seamlessly see him as he truly is and as he wants Charlie to see him.

At a time cinema movie screens are saturated with formulaic superheroing, it is intriguing to go back and watch a movie that so obviously didn’t get the memo about where superheroes are supposed to go, and how quickly.