Above photo: Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time” is a treat visually, but it lacks enough substance to do its 56-year-old source material justice. Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
By Anthony Nolfi
While visually captivating and with good intentions, “A Wrinkle in Time” doesn’t offer much as an original take on a beloved novel, nor as a stand alone movie.
Based on the sci-fi fantasy novel written by Madeleine L’Engle, the film follows the story of troubled 13-year-old Meg Murray (played by Storm Reid) and her cosmic adventure to rescue her long lost father from the other side of the universe.
Along for the ride are Meg’s younger brother and prodigy, Charles Wallace, classmate Calvin O’Keefe, and three supernatural beings, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, who aid Meg in her journey.
The cast of unusual characters travel the expansive, beautiful universe, flying across spectacular alien worlds and meeting all sorts of strange and unique beings – all while trying to find Meg’s missing father and avoiding the dangers of the mysterious darkness looming at the edge of the universe.
The film’s visual wonders are impressive, despite the intensive use of CGI. The worlds are expansive and varied and would be interesting if the film stuck to them for more than 10 minutes at a time.
Most of the focus is on Meg, who is a fine protagonist. She’s relatable and sympathetic, showcasing a rebellious, troubled attitude that many children can relate to. It’s not a particularly strong performance from Reid, but she’s not terrible.
Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling portray the three Mrs. Ws. Similarly, they aren’t bad, though their whimsically odd outfits are more than enough to distract viewers from bizarre terminology like “tesseract” (the warping ability they introduce that isn’t explained) or the wondrous aspects of the worlds around them.
The plot speeds along a bit too quickly, jumping from scene to scene in an easy to grasp pattern. The story gets where it needs to be, but it feels rushed and incohesive.
One of the weaker points of the film comes from the ominous, albeit generic, antagonist, another cosmic entity known sometimes as just “The Darkness” or “The It.”
It throws many challenges at Meg and her companions, such as a hurricane of doom that chases Meg and Calvin, but Meg always seems able to get by with her keen mind and analytical nature.
Perhaps younger audience members could relate to the trials and tribulations Meg goes through, but it feels too easy of a resolution.
As its own story, it’s serviceable.
If taken as an adaptation, however, the film falls flat.
Some elements from the original novel are changed, such as the Happy Medium. Originally a woman with a crystal ball, the character in the film is played by an unremarkable Zach Galifianakis.
Many other elements are missing entirely: Sandy and Dennys, Meg’s twin brothers, the centaur beings on the first planet the children visit and the frightening inhabitants of the planet where “The It” resides.
Obviously, it’s nearly impossible to stay perfectly faithful to the source material, but with the way the film presents the bare, open worlds as well as the minor characters scattered throughout the first third of the film, there’s no excuse for not bringing a bit more life to the places Meg and company visit.
There’s more than just a few wrinkles in this Disney adaptation, though they are hidden through some remarkable visuals. For a younger audience, it’s nice enough, but for most others, this is a disappointing, if not pretty to look at, distraction.
2/5 Stars
The Crow’s Nest rates movies between one and five stars, with five stars being the highest possible score.
