A Wrinkle In Time (2018)

PG  1 hr 49 min


I did read the book, as a child. Disappointing that (according to many reviews) it does not live up to the book. At 1 hour and 49 minutes running time, I am not surprised that character development wasn't adequate. I still might see it, as a discounted matinee, if only to put large than life colorful images to the memories I have of the book.

Learned from the Double Toasted review (published on 03.08/18) on YouTube that was also a 2003 Disney tv movie, I never knew. I read and loved the book as a child. Unfortunately I feel that one of my childhood illusions is about to be smashed. Aww Ava DuVernay, I had such hopes.


When I was a child this was my favorite book. Although short, in the book the children travel to more places for a considerable time not as fast forward as movie indicates. This movie is choppy, even though I know the story. Wonder if there is a 4 hour Ava DuVernay Director's Cut lurking in that very very deep Disney vault. The movie was sweet, colorful, with decent acting (although the youngest actor had a pitch to his voice that made hearing his dialogue problematic. This character (Charles Wallace, Meg's brother) was waaay less perky in the book. I would have cast an older kid who was short and looked young. Of course kids grow fast, so hiring a short youngish boy could end of being more of a CGI disaster than a certain mustache on a certain actor in a certain superhero film. Recommendations, see as a discounted matinee with maybe a quick look at the book's wiki reference.

The acting was decent however, the youngest actor had a pitch to his voice that made hearing his dialogue problematic. This character (Charles Wallace, Meg's baby brother) was waaay less perky in the book. I would have cast an older kid who was short and looked young. While I enjoyed the visuals on a big screen, some of the CGI was disappointing. I wonder if the director was going for an illustrated/picture book-type look. Well this movie probably looks best on big screen, my advice would be to see it discounted (although it was also released in IMAX format).

I read the book as a child. I feel that it helped me piece together what was a choppy movie. It was gloriously colorful and imaginative, but the narrative, character development just was not there.Wonder if there is a 4 hour Director's (Ava Duvernay) somewhere in those Disney vaults. I hate to admit this, but with the initial appearance of Mrs. Which made me almost snicker (I quickly camouflaged with a cough). I agree see it on the big screen for the visuals, but try to see it discounted.

I felt that this movie could have been more...as in more time spent on the screen. I read the book, admittedly a long time ago, but the movie seems drastically cut. I could have done without the introduction by Ava DuVernay as it kind of killed the mood (with shots shown from the actual filming). Rather ironic considering the director was pleading with us to sink into the fantasy, color and theme of A Wrinkle In Time. In thinking about the CGI which at times felt flat (admittedly I did not see this in IMAX format), I wonder if the director was going for set pieces reminiscent of those gorgeously over the top illustrated/picture books for children? Anyway this is worth seeing on a big screen, but go for the discount/matinee priced showings.

SPOILER WARNING (in a way): There was a lead in before the movie actually begins by the director (Ava DuVernay) kind of pleading with the audience to relax, imagine and enjoy this film. However in this introduction actual film production scenes were shown which totally flipped any mood of fantasy back to reality. Shame Ava DuVernay and/or Disney.
I did read the book as a child. I liked the look of this movie.The acting ranged from decent to good, however the editing was choppy. Even though the book is relatively short (no Einstein joke intended), it seemed like the book had deeper more complex characters, more time spent on different planets with REALLY different creatures and an even better 3rd act when Meg had to battle as Mrs. Which (Oprah) had instructed. As I respect Ava DuVernay's talent, I feel that there is a longer more coherent movie out there in those cobwebbed vaults of Disney with a 3 - 4 hour director's cut.