GoodTrash Critique: A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

Going in to Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, I was very excited. I had read Madeleine L’Engle’s classic in college, in a Fantasy Fiction course. I enjoyed it, but I don’t remember it really resonating. Had I encountered it at a younger age, the case may have been different. So, up front, I’ll admit I don’t really have a horse in the race as to whether the new version stays faithful. Nonetheless, I was excited for this amalgamation of sci-fi fantasy that deals with some very interesting concepts, in the book. 

Fast forward about a decade, and L’Engle’s film is being brought to film for the second time. For those who may have missed it, the Disney Channel aired a made-for-TV version in the early 2000s. And, it’s about as good as you can expect. Really, I think the issue with adapting this work has always a matter of scope and being able to manage the effects and the world.

A Wrinkle in Time, as adapted for the screen, tells the story of Meg Murry (Stormy Reid) and her adopted younger brother, Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe). Since the disappearance of her scientist father, Alex (Chris Pine), Meg has lost a step or two. She’s distant, and struggling both in school and socially. That all changes when a mysterious group of begin showing up unexpectedly. The three Misses—Whatsit (Witherspoon), Who (Kaling), and Which (Winfrey)—all appear with enigmatic statements and attire. Charles Wallace seems to have been expecting this. The Misses then sweep Meg, Charles Wallace and their friend Calvin (Levi Miller) away, saying they’re going to rescue Meg’s dad.

A Wrinkle in Time Review

It’s a tale, fairly as old as time, but with more science fiction. Meg and Charles are both dealing with grief in different ways, which leads them to be the target for mean girl bullies and the point of gossip for the faculty. But, Meg, Charles and their Mom, Kate (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) are close knit. Meg does lash out at her mom a couple of times, as teens in this sort of story are want to do. She also doubts herself greatly, again as teens are want to do.

And that being said, this movie starts out like most kids movies where the main kid is getting bullied. The story hits a lot of cliché points in the first act. There are some cute lines, but, even the appearance of Witherspoon, Kaling and Winfrey don’t do much to infuse any life into the story. Witherspoon’s Whatsit is probably the most engaging and enjoyable of the three, there’s not really much too Which or Who. And, their performances stay in line with that. Oprah’s portrayal as Which comes off wooden at times, while Kaling is relegated to simply quoting famous words—but she does get a Hamilton reference in, so that’s fun.

I don’t mean to bag on this movie so much.

It just feels like a misfire at every step.

I will praise the work of first-timer Stormy Reid and Levi Miller. They have a good chemistry as Meg and Calvin. And, Stormy does a good job of carrying the self-confidence issues, while gradually becoming more confident along the way. And the rapport of the main cast does work, but it’s never really that interesting.

We get a quick infusion when Zach Galifianakis shows up as the Happy Medium. His light banter with Mrs. Whatsit is enjoyable. But again, the majority of his character feels very paint-by-numbers. It’s very frustrating.

For me, the most interesting aspect of the story is that of Dr. Alex Murphy and Dr. Kate Murphy, Meg’s parents. The movie feels like it moves to a different level whenever they’re on screen together. The parts of their backstory that we get are vastly more interesting than what unravels with Meg and company.

Visually, the movie is very pretty, but it’s as if all of these major visual setpieces solely exist to show of the production’s budget. We get a sequence at the top of the second act after the group first tessers (travels across the universe) in which Mrs. Whatsit turns herself into a giant flying leaf creature. It seems this is done to show the kids the wonder of this new world, but it adds nothing to the story or the character.

As the story continues to play out, we get a bunch of overcoming your flaws stuff as the kids encounter new areas. This all culminates in a lackluster climax that sees a bit of a twist in the story before the ultimate resolution. We also get a fantastic few minutes of Michael Peña through the third act, but even he can’t save this from wrinkling into a mess.

Final Thoughts on A Wrinkle in Time

I’m not sure where the breakdown occurred in production. The film has been in development off and on for about a decade. There was some turnover on the screenplay and direction before it eventually ended up in the hands of Jennifer Lee (Wreck-it Ralph, Frozen) and DuVernay (Selma). DuVernay has shown an eye for exciting action in the past, but that all seems lost here. I think if the film had been made for roughly $60–$80 million it would have been better. Restraints often lead to inventiveness, but here it appears everything was at DuVernay and Disney’s disposal.

As it stands now, the critics seem to be divided on this. I feel audiences may land the same way. I expect children to love it, and some adults as well. Fans of the book may be taken aback as there are a few changes and the absence of a key character.

But, A Wrinkle in Time doesn’t demand to be seen, not on the big screen, and not at home.

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