Firestarter (1984)

Firestarter (1984), an American science fiction thriller horror film, is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. Andy McGee and Vicky Tomlinson participated in an experiment during their college years, where they were given a dose of LOT-6, a low-grade hallucinogen. While others suffered from severe side effects, Vicky and Andy gained telepathic powers; she can read minds and he can control others’ thoughts and actions. However, this ability sometimes causes nosebleeds due to its strength. Currently married, the couple has an eight-year-old daughter named Charlene ‘Charlie’ McGee who possesses pyrokinetic abilities and can also see glimpses of the future. One day, upon returning home from work, Andy discovers that Vicky has been murdered and Charlie abducted. Evidently, Vicky was tortured before her death; suspicions arise as the family had already believed that ‘The Shop’, a government agency responsible for sponsoring the experiment and known for its desire to weaponize Charlie’s powers, was keeping a close watch on them.

After freeing Charlie by temporarily blinding their pursuers, Andy and she spend the next year evading authorities. They eventually find refuge with Farmer Irv Manders and his wife Norma, to whom Andy divulges the truth about their predicament. When The Shop finally catches up to them, Charlie effortlessly neutralizes their agents. However, they must once again flee as Andy’s powers have weakened. Seeking safety in a remote cabin, they plan to make their story public. Their intentions are thwarted when Captain James Hollister, the head of The Shop, sends assassin John Rainbird to intercept them and prevent the spread of information. In a desperate attempt to protect themselves, Andy unknowingly reveals their whereabouts by writing letters to prominent newspapers. As a result, he and his daughter are captured and kept apart by their captors.