TV Guide Review

Technically, this film should be classified as a fantasy: the folks behind it ask the viewer to swallow so many unlikely premises that it boggles the mind. Sheffer is a resident at a reform camp for handsome and muscular juvenile delinquents. While out on an athletic outing in the Oregon woods where the camp is located, Sheffer sees a beautiful woman floating in a pond. This lady of the lake is Madsen, a student at a nearby Catholic girls' school who is working on a photography project. Of course, it's young love at first sight, but there remains the problem of getting these kids together.

Director Gibbons makes his feature debut here after cutting his teeth in rock videos. The aesthetics of his former medium are evident throughout, including artfully lit shots, beautiful actors, and plenty of pop tunes. Missing are characters of any reasonable intelligence or believability. There's no real point to the film other than to watch Sheffer and Madsen make out. Their brief and boring lip locks aren't enough to base a film on, despite the promised passion of a poorly chosen title.

TV Guide

The New Work Times Review

Can a girl from a Roman Catholic boarding school find happiness with a guy from a minimum-security prison down the road? That is the question posed by ''Fire With Fire,'' which opens today at Loews State and other theaters. If you think the question is uninteresting, wait till you see the movie.

This is the first try at directing a feature by Duncan Gibbins, who comes to us from music video. Symptoms of that condition emerge, but without any of the fever that has been known to accompany it. Much time is given to moody music and moony shots of the young lovers (Virginia Madsen and Craig Sheffer) doting on each other. ''You smell great,'' he says. ''You're very observant,'' she says.

The boarding school is full of good-looking girls; the ''honor detention camp'' is full of rowdy youths. They get together at a dance that drags along like a marathon. In charge of the boys is a mean-talking character who goes nowhere without his shotgun (Jon Polito). In charge of the girls is Sister Victoria (Kate Reid), who has no discernible character at all. This movie even makes the accomplished Miss Reid boring.

What action there is has to do with the young lovers attempting to escape together. A fire breaks out toward the end, but it does not explain the title. The damp script is in no danger of igniting. The question with which viewers may be left is why it took four people to write this thing.

''Fire With Fire'' is rated PG-13 (''Special Parental Guidance Suggested for Those Younger Than 13''), owing to some naughty language. False Alarm FIRE WITH FIRE, directed by Duncan Gibbins; screenplay by Bill Phillips, Warren Skaaren, Paul Boorstin and Sharon Boorstin; director of photography, Hiro Narita; edited by Peter Berger; music by Howard Shore; produced by Gary Nardino; a Paramount Pictures release. At Loews State, Broadway and 45th Street; Loews New York Twin, Second Avenue and 66th Street; Loews 84th Street Six, at Broadway, and other theaters. Running time: 104 minutes. This film is rated PG-13. Lisa TaylorVirginia Madsen Joe FiskCraig Sheffer MapmakerJeffrey Jay Cohen Sister VictoriaKate Reid William (Boss) DechardJon Polito Sister MarieJean Smart Jerry WashingtonTim Russ BaxterD. B. Sweeney Ben HalseyDavid Harris.

By WALTER GOODMAN

Published: May 9, 1986