Firestarter 2: Rekindled
Encyclopedia
Firestarter 2: Rekindled (also known as Firestarter: Rekindled) is a 2002 television miniseries
and the sequel to the film adaptation
of the Stephen King
novel Firestarter
. It stars Marguerite Moreau
as now-grownup Charlie McGee
, Danny Nucci, Dennis Hopper
and Malcolm McDowell
as Charlie's old nemesis from the original story, John Rainbird.
In the United States, the miniseries was broadcast onthe Sci Fi Channel (now known as Syfy
). Originally, the film was supposed to be followed by a television series, but the series never went into production.
Apparently, the victims of the experiment have won a class action lawsuit and need to be found so that a check can be issued. Included on the list is Charlene "Charlie" McGee (Marguerite Moreau
), the offspring of two of the participants in the experiment.
When Charlie was a kid, Charlie's mother Vicky (Karrie Combs) was murdered by men who worked for the now-defunct Shop, the government department that wanted to harness her pyrokinesis
as a military weapon.
Charlie's father Andy (Aaron Radl) was killed by John Rainbird, a professional killer who had been hired by the shop. Ever since then, Charlie has been in hiding to protect herself. Under an assumed name, she now has a job at a university
library, where she secretly does research to find a way to suppress her pyrokinetic abilities.
When Vincent finally locates Charlie, he unintentionally sets into motion a series of events with deadly consequences. It turns out that there really isn't a class action lawsuit settlement.
It seems that John Rainbird (Malcom McDowell), who was thought to have been burned to death by Charlie, is still alive, scarred from the burns -- and he's looking for Charlie, because he's still obsessed with her. Rainbird has been using the lie about a class action lawsuit to lure the original LOT-6 experiment's victims out of hiding so these victims can be killed one by one in order to keep things quiet.
Charlie gets help from James Richardson (Dennis Hopper
), one of the victims of the LOT-6 experiment. The experiment has given James the ability to tell the future. When Vincent discovers that he's been duped into luring Charlie back to Rainbird, Vincent also decides to help Charlie.
John's been working on perfecting the LOT experiments, and has created 6 young boys with rather unusual abilities. One has the power of suggestion, another can sense truth and deception, two can move things with their mind, one has the destructive voice from hell. But the most dangerous one of them all is an energy sink, someone who can suck the life and energy out of anyone or anything.
Rainbird is using these children to rob a bank as a test of warfare in the new decade. With Vince and James on her side, Charlie must decide whether to keep running, or fight Rainbird to the end.
Charlie chooses to fight to the end, and after Rainbird kills Vincent, Charlie kills Rainbird -- right in front of his experimental boys -- by taking him into a fiery embrace, and literally turning him into a pile of ashes. Then Charlie ends up in a one-on-one battle against the energy sink.
Charlie uses her powers to destroy the energy sink, and the other experimental boys realize that Charlie was telling them the truth when she said that they become a little less human every time they use their abilities.
Charlie, finally having no need to be in hiding, later boards a bus to Canada.
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and the sequel to the film adaptation
Firestarter (film)
Firestarter is a 1984 science fiction thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. The plot concerns a young girl who develops pyrokinesis and the secret government agency which seeks to control her. The film was directed by Mark L. Lester, and stars Drew Barrymore and David...
of the Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novel Firestarter
Firestarter
Firestarter is a novel by Stephen King first published in 1980. It was nominated for a British Fantasy Award in 1981.The book is dedicated to the author Shirley Jackson: "In Memory of Shirley Jackson, who never needed to raise her voice."...
. It stars Marguerite Moreau
Marguerite Moreau
Marguerite Moreau is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles on the television series Blossom, her role as Katie in the comedy cult film Wet Hot American Summer, and her role in The Mighty Ducks series of films...
as now-grownup Charlie McGee
Charlie McGee
Charlene Roberta "Charlie" McGee is a fictional character in the book and films, Firestarter and Firestarter 2: Rekindled. She was created by Stephen King. In the first film, she is portrayed by Drew Barrymore...
, Danny Nucci, Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
and Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
as Charlie's old nemesis from the original story, John Rainbird.
In the United States, the miniseries was broadcast onthe Sci Fi Channel (now known as Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
). Originally, the film was supposed to be followed by a television series, but the series never went into production.
Plot
Vincent Sforza (Danny Nucci) works for a large, influential research firm, and he has been put in charge of locating several people who were part of an old experiment from the 1970s -- an experiment in which a group of college students were given a dose of a chemical called LOT-6.Apparently, the victims of the experiment have won a class action lawsuit and need to be found so that a check can be issued. Included on the list is Charlene "Charlie" McGee (Marguerite Moreau
Marguerite Moreau
Marguerite Moreau is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles on the television series Blossom, her role as Katie in the comedy cult film Wet Hot American Summer, and her role in The Mighty Ducks series of films...
), the offspring of two of the participants in the experiment.
When Charlie was a kid, Charlie's mother Vicky (Karrie Combs) was murdered by men who worked for the now-defunct Shop, the government department that wanted to harness her pyrokinesis
Pyrokinesis
Pyrokinesis, derived from the Greek words and , was the name coined by horror novelist Stephen King for the ability to create or to control fire with the mind that he gave to the protagonist Charlie McGee in Firestarter...
as a military weapon.
Charlie's father Andy (Aaron Radl) was killed by John Rainbird, a professional killer who had been hired by the shop. Ever since then, Charlie has been in hiding to protect herself. Under an assumed name, she now has a job at a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
library, where she secretly does research to find a way to suppress her pyrokinetic abilities.
When Vincent finally locates Charlie, he unintentionally sets into motion a series of events with deadly consequences. It turns out that there really isn't a class action lawsuit settlement.
It seems that John Rainbird (Malcom McDowell), who was thought to have been burned to death by Charlie, is still alive, scarred from the burns -- and he's looking for Charlie, because he's still obsessed with her. Rainbird has been using the lie about a class action lawsuit to lure the original LOT-6 experiment's victims out of hiding so these victims can be killed one by one in order to keep things quiet.
Charlie gets help from James Richardson (Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
), one of the victims of the LOT-6 experiment. The experiment has given James the ability to tell the future. When Vincent discovers that he's been duped into luring Charlie back to Rainbird, Vincent also decides to help Charlie.
John's been working on perfecting the LOT experiments, and has created 6 young boys with rather unusual abilities. One has the power of suggestion, another can sense truth and deception, two can move things with their mind, one has the destructive voice from hell. But the most dangerous one of them all is an energy sink, someone who can suck the life and energy out of anyone or anything.
Rainbird is using these children to rob a bank as a test of warfare in the new decade. With Vince and James on her side, Charlie must decide whether to keep running, or fight Rainbird to the end.
Charlie chooses to fight to the end, and after Rainbird kills Vincent, Charlie kills Rainbird -- right in front of his experimental boys -- by taking him into a fiery embrace, and literally turning him into a pile of ashes. Then Charlie ends up in a one-on-one battle against the energy sink.
Charlie uses her powers to destroy the energy sink, and the other experimental boys realize that Charlie was telling them the truth when she said that they become a little less human every time they use their abilities.
Charlie, finally having no need to be in hiding, later boards a bus to Canada.