The fresh and fiery adaptation of Firestarter simultaneously released in theaters and on Peacock yesterday, and while author and concept creator Stephen King has offered up his praise, diehard fans are certainly finding faults in the Zac Efron vehicle. The remake of the 1984 original tells the story of a father who attempts to protect his daughter — who possesses pyrokinesis — from an enigmatic agency seeking to seize her.
Over on Twitter, the overall response to the 2022 adaptation has been nothing short of underwhelming, as folks are taking to the app to express their dissatisfaction with the film based on King’s 1980 novel. This backlash even includes many popular sites, such as IGN, determining that the movie “failed to ignite” upon its anticipated release.
One user listed bullet points for the movie, where they expressed their discovery of the movie, only to then state that it was bad.
Another user profoundly summed up the film in one single word.
Another user sought to praise John Carpenter’s brilliant score, but then proceeded to slander the film’s script, acting, and direction as a whole.
One user criticized Firestarter for its lackluster ability to choose a genre, and instead only praised the film’s score.
One final user was as blunt as one can possibly be.
Along with the online backlash, reviews from critics are even worse, with many dubbing it as one of the worst film adaptations of King’s work. That being said, with projects like Salem’s Lot on the horizon, there’s still plenty to look forward to for diehard fans of the renowned author.