A Wrinkle in Time; an adventure for children all around the world

Written By FeastnFlix on Friday, March 9, 2018 | 8:37 AM

Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time is the big budget adaptation to the classic novel of the same name. This film is brought to us by Academy Award nominated director Ava DuVernay (Selma), who has assembled a visually beautiful film that is only elevated with an amazing score by the great Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones) and stars a cast mixed with both unknowns and the biggest names in entertainment.

I have actually never read the book on which the film A Wrinkle in Time is based, so I will be basing this review completely off what is in the film. The three main stars of the story are three children. The first is Meg Murray, daughter of two scientists who are working on the theory and application of interstellar travel. Meg is a young teen who, like most teens, feel like she does not fit in. In part, this is due to her bookish awkwardness teamed with low self-esteem in her looks. But it is also due to the fact that her famous father went missing at an early age which makes everyone look at her like a pariah. The cool kids mock her, her teachers distrust her and she has no real friends other than her brother Charles Wallace. Where Meg receives abundance of pity, Charles Wallace is regarded by all as a child prodigy with unlimited potential. Rounding out the trio of kids is Calvin, the most popular boy in Meg’s school who is one of the few people that respects Meg and shows her kindness. In addition to the children there are 3 beings of immense power and knowledge who go by the names Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit. The children’s call to adventure begins when the beings inform Meg and Charles Wallace that their father is still alive and that the children may have a chance to rescue him. As this is an adventure meant for children, they naturally go along and in their travels they visit different worlds that range from wondrous to frightening all in search of the missing father. And as all great adventure stories go, they grow as individuals in addition to strengthening their interconnected bonds of friendship.

In the cast we have Storm Reid (12 Years a Slave, A Happening of Monumental Proportions) as Meg, who is lead of the story. Academy Award Winner Reece Witherspoon (Walk the Line) plays the being Mrs. Whatsit. Mindy Kaling (The Office, The Mindy Project) is Mrs. Who. World famous Oprah Winfrey is Mrs. Which. Mr. Murray. Meg’s father and missing scientist, is played by Chris Pine (Star Trek Beyond, Wonder Woman). Mrs. Murray, Meg’s mother, is played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Cloverfield Paradox, Black Mirror). Calvin is played by Levi Miller (Pan). Also appearing are Zach Galifinakis (The Hangover, Baskets) and Michael Pena (Antman, 12 Strong). But for my money the real star is Deric McCabe who in his first major feature length film steals the entire movie as Charles Wallace. When A Wrinkle in Time was being filmed McCabe was less than 10 years old so he is able to convey with ease that great energy and outspokenness that only someone that age can muster, but he is also able display a sense of high intellect and sophistication through his dialogue and mannerisms. It is both astonishing and charming that in a cast of A-list actors, it’s the youngest cast member, who also has the shortest list of credits, who is the real treat of the film.

Other than McCabe and his portrayal of Charles Wallace, it was the stellar score and visuals which made A Wrinkle in Time memorable. Film is medium in which sounds and visuals come together to create a perfect ambience for the story being told. The different worlds and the space-time travelling to those worlds may be shot and assembled by Ava Duvernay, but the entire films gets kicked up a notch with a score that ranges from ominous to fantastic. The score is from Grammy and Emmy Award nominee Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Westworld) who is no stranger to creating wondrous scores that help transport audiences to other worlds.

I think A Wrinkle in Time can best be summed up by a statement made by director Ava DuVernay right before our screening in which she said that the film is like The Neverending Story and meant to be an adventure for the twelve-year old in all of us. I would take that remark one step further and say that with the assembled diverse cast, A Wrinkle in Time is meant to be for the modern day twelve-year olds all around the world.