Verdict
Summary
A Wrinkle in Time has a positive message about believing in yourself and the power of love; it is uplifting and empowering while also being a feast for the eyes. It will be a tough sell for older audiences and males but it deserves to be seen on as big a screen as possible.
Plot: Meg Murry and her little brother, Charles Wallace, have been without their scientist father, Mr. Murry, for five years, ever since he discovered a new planet and used the concept known as a tesseract to travel there. Joined by Meg’s classmate Calvin O’Keefe and guided by the three mysterious astral travelers known as Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, the children brave a dangerous journey to a planet that possesses all of the evil in the universe.
Review: I can safely say I have never read the novel of A Wrinkle in Time so this review is based purely on the movie as a standalone, so there’ll be no comparisons here.
First off, this movie is aimed squarely at a younger female audience so it will be a hard sell to an older crowd, especially males but it’s refreshing to see a movie that wears its heart on its sleeve and has nothing but positive energy to give.
I didn’t know all that much about A Wrinkle in Time other than the trailers made it look like a crowd pleasing family adventure and that’s exactly what it is. Its themes are pretty straightforward with the obvious being the endless struggle between good and evil and how love can conquer all, but also to just be yourself no matter what your apparent flaws may be.
Storm Reid plays our hero Meg but I found she seemed to lack personality which is a bit of a problem when you are meant to root for this person. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters though and its positive message should inspire modern audiences who have maybe become too cynical (myself included).
I do have to put on the record that I found Charles Wallace mildly annoying at times and although he was an almost supernatural being with knowledge beyond his years he did come across as smug.
I liked Chris Pine as the father who is obsessed with his work and never really spends much time with his kids; I think Pine is one of the most gifted actors working today. Although he doesn’t have all that much screentime he brings genuine heart to the story and you will be hard pushed not to have a tear in your eye for the emotional finale.
Oprah Winfrey mostly looks ridiculous and didn’t really do much other than stand and smile while trying to look noble. I thought Reese Witherspoon was appealing and brought some humour to proceedings, although it lost me a little when she turned into a large flying lettuce.
The music was pleasant and will appeal to the target audience; it really helped in creating a fantastical atmosphere with the colourful and imaginative visuals.
Overall, A Wrinkle in Time has a positive message about believing in yourself and the power of love; it is uplifting and empowering while also being a feast for the eyes. It will be a tough sell for older audiences and males but it deserves to be seen on as big a screen as possible.