Initially, I didnt know what to think about A Wrinkle in Time.
I consider myself not only an aficionado of science fiction films, but especially the space-traveling aspects that make up various fantasy subgroups. To be clear, they are among my favorites. Starring Storm Reid, Levi Miller, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chris Pine, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling, A Wrinkle in Time is based on the 1962 novel by Madeleine L’Engle.
A Wrinkle in Time Official US Trailer
On March 9th, be a warrior. Watch the brand-new trailer for Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. Website and Mobile site: disney.com/wrinkleintime Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WrinkleinTimeMovie/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WrinkleinTime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrinkleintime/ Hashtag: #WrinkleinTime From visionary director Ava DuVernay comes Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” an epic adventure based on Madeleine L’Engle’s timeless classic which takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love.
The premise centers on the life of a young teen whose father mysteriously disappears. The meat of the offering occurs four years later, as young Meg struggles to mature and grow into a young lady but is still haunted by the thought of her fathers disappearance. Adding to the heaviness of her situation, Meg is socially tormented by those schoolmates looking to exorcise their own personal traumas by causing pain to others.
Once a brilliant student with a mind for mathematics and geometry, Megan is now a shell of the scholar she once was. The world appears to have sullied yet another pure spirit with its spiteful, intolerant ways. Even her mother Dr. Kate Murry, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, begins to question her mental and emotional state.
Her biggest fan and supporter is her little brother Charles Wallace, a brilliant savant with an insight into the world and people that belies his tender age.
Just as things appear to be tumbling out of control for young Meg, she is introduced to a mysterious, whimsical woman who initially appears off just a tad. However, we soon find out theres far more to the stranger than meets the eye.
Her name is Mrs. Whatsit, an immortal force of nature. Soon, thanks to the razor-sharp perception of young Charles Wallace, Meg Murry comes to realize the truth when introduced to Mrs. Who, who only speaks in the words of others, and Mrs. Which, the latter of which is the eldest and most powerful of the triumvirate.
High school classmate Calvin OKeefe, played by Levi Miller, just so happens to be in the neighborhood as Charles Wallace guides his sister to the home of Mrs. Who, played by Mindy Kaling. He mentions that he was beckoned to come to the exact location where Meg and Charles Wallace are, alluding that he may have been led to them by the immortals.
In the book, the immortals are described as stars that sacrificed themselves, exploding to destroy parts of the darkness that were near them. The antagonist is the IT, a bodiless psychic energy that is described as the primary source of all dissension, pain and hurt in the universe. It has been spreading from the beginning of time and captured her father, Dr. Alex Murry, played by Chris Pine, as he attempted to use an experimental method of transport to travel to a distant planet and prove detractors and naysayers in the scientific community that his method is sound.
In the original novel, the IT is but a servant of The Black Thing, the bodiless source of all evil that heroes from all over the universe have been battling since the beginning of time. However, in Ava DuVernays retelling of the story, the two entities appear to be one and the same. The only thing in the universe that people may hate more than the IT is a spoiler-filled review. To that end, I will not directly refer to anything else plot-related that might give the movie away.
Prior to the release of the film, DuVernay had been imploring audiences to approach viewing this film with the heart of a child. While I envision my childhood as being so far in the past that it may as well be in the on the other side of the universe, this movie, with a little protagonist as its star and an unapologetically woman-centered director leading the way, was filled with many themes that I believed myself incapable of fully appreciating as an adult.
Deep in my heart, I believed the world’s realities had poisoned my innocence so completely that I couldnt appreciate the beauty and positive messaging that prior reviews said it offered.
“The Gifts” Clip – Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time
Watch a brand new clip from the #1 Family Movie in the country! Get tickets to see Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, now playing: bit.ly/WrinkleTix —- From visionary director Ava DuVernay comes Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” an epic adventure based on Madeleine L’Engle’s timeless classic which takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love.
People are people. As such, we get caught up missing the forest for scrutinizing the trees. There were critics that felt it necessary to mention plot holes, the lack of synergy between the novel and the film, as well as the lack of action and palpable horror for the protagonists experiencing the trials offered by the IT.
However, they need to stop looking at the trees, man. Stop looking at the damn trees!
Theres a virtual forest of things to appreciate about A Wrinkle in Time. Can we appreciate that a young American female of African descent was the lead in a big budget Disney movie? Can we appreciate that it was a production awash in the magic of women? Can we appreciate the fact that it told the story of an overly ambitious father who gets lost within his own ambitions? Can we appreciate that, though he left her for his own glory and hubris, that he begged for her forgiveness, and she happily granted it?
A Wrinkle in Time has tons to celebrate, tons to appreciate and tons to meditate upon. The fact that so many critics readily and voraciously admonished a Disney film based on a childrens novel as being devoid of horror and violence says everything negative about the world, while simultaneously hammering home themes that are integral to the film.
In a nutshell, the IT is the impetus and source for all misery in the universe but, at the end of the day, we realize the true antagonist isnt the IT, but the potential for darkness within us all, how misery loves company and love truly binds the universe.
It was plain as day and told in a manner that children could follow, teens could relate to, and adults could appreciate. Its clear why the film was written, edited and sequenced in the manner it was. But apparently not clear enough to adult sensibilities.
The CGI is impressive, brilliantly colored, but expected nothing less given the budget. It did not disappoint.
Though I’m a veteran in both my age and in my pen, I left that theater with a youthful joy that’s hard to describe. For every aunt, uncle, elder, kid, man, woman it doesn’t matter – everyone should take the time to view it. In my opinion, A Wrinkle in Time is an instant classic.
A Wrinkle in Time finished second in the box office to Black Panther this past weekend, marking the first time ever that two Disney films, helmed by two black directors, shared the top two spots in gate receipts.
