Growing up there were plenty of books that we read in school that would play like a movie in your head. Most of the time though it would be just in your head as the ability to make those movies were not quite in our grasp. That seems like a lifetime ago now that we are in the age of whatever-you-can-think-of-we-can-create. One such world I have always wanted to see unfold was the world that Madeleine L ‘Engle created in A Wrinkle in Time and thanks to Ava DuVernay that world is now on display for us to enjoy in this classic story.
Meg (Storm Reid) is that quiet kid in school that doesn’t seem to fit in, but there is a reason. Four years ago her father (Chris Pine) disappeared without a trace, leaving her with her mother (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and her brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe). While Meg might not fit in with the rest of the world, her and her brother’s relationship is unbreakable. It is that relationship that leads to a strong belief in Meg, something she lacks in herself. Charles Wallace you see is special in so many ways and he knows that he, Meg and a boy named Calvin (Levi Miller) must make a trip to find their father. That’s when they meet Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Withersopoon) a strange lady who seems to be a bit off. Whatsit is not off, she is a being of light and with Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which( Oprah Winfrey) they take Meg and the others on an adventure. Soon all of them cross the universe where they must take on an entity called “The It” so that they can find their father and return home.
The world of “A Wrinkle in Time” is filled with so many beautiful things, but a good movie is not one of them. While it is easy on the eyes and a wonderful message is carried throughout the film there is too much emptiness to fill you up. There are some bright spots though. Reid being the brightest as her light looks like it will shine for many years. The message is also powerful as we need more reminders of the power of love. After you get past those, things start to go downhill. It turns out I remember very little of the story by L ‘ Engle and I for sure want to forget the one by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell who adapted L ‘ Engle’s classic book. I do though think there is a simple reason for that, as an adult this story has a way different effect on me than if I were a kid. The audience for this is little girls who will receive a total different message than me. While I judge it for the movie it is, it is hard not to argue the power of a story like this in the minds of the young. As an adult though this is not very good, but with that said I would encourage my daughter to see this. I so wanted to like this but as every minute passed I was left wondering what could’ve been is Disney teamed with the Pixar team to make this one great for the whole family.
