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. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Arjun N. comments, “A Wrinkle in
Time is an enjoyable, yet somewhat flawed interpretation of the classic novel of the same name. The
direction and special effects provide a world unlike any other. This is sure to be a watch for sci-fi fans.”
Ryan R., adds, “I liked, but did not love this latest Disney film and here’s why…It is visually stunning, but
unfortunately falls short in the storytelling.” See their full reviews below
A Wrinkle in Time
By Arjun Nair, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16
Link to Video Review: https://youtu.be/mx8GNY0chao
A Wrinkle in Time is an enjoyable, yet somewhat flawed interpretation of the classic novel of the same
name. The direction and special effects provide a world unlike any other. This is sure to be a watch for
sci-fi fans.
The story follows Meg Murry (Storm Reid), a genial teen who is the daughter of famed scientist Alex
Murry (Chris Pine). After her father disappears, she goes through a period of insecurity and despair. Four
years later, a group of primordial celestial beings – Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese
Witherspoon) and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) visit Earth to help Meg find her father. Meg’s brother Charles
Wallace (Deric McCabe) and friend Calvin (Levi Miller) also join the quest to find Alex. However, Meg is
also brought in to help fight the “It”, an entity of darkness that threatens to destroy people’s happiness.
Storm Reid, as Meg, excellently presents her inner struggle to be happy and accept herself and this adds
a unique element to the story. As the movie progresses, she slowly rises beyond her doubts to become
better. Chris Pine, as Alex, delivers an ardent love for science in his character and, while much of his
character is witnessed before he disappears, the rest of his scenes add a performance filled with
remorse. Deric McCabe, as Charles Wallace, is my favorite character due to his charismatic performance
– full of comic relief. Levi Miller, as Calvin, encompasses a respectful companion who seems to be rather
enamored by Meg. Oprah Winfrey, as Mrs. Which, is a wise mentor for Meg who guides her throughout
her journey. Reese Witherspoon, as Mrs. Whatsit, is the least wise of the three celestial beings, but she
provides a kind companion. Mindy Kaling, as Mrs. Who, represents an encyclopedia of character teeming
with knowledge
Ava DuVernay incredibly directs the movie, as you feel as if you are a part of the world through her use of
word building to convey a story. My favorite scene is the resolution to the main conflict, as it feels like an
appropriate conclusion. My problem with the movie is that is unevenly paced, with the first half of the
movie following generic clichés, despite a great first 10 minutes. But the movie gets running as soon as
the second half begins, going into uncharted territory unlike any other movie. I also feel that the scenes
for Alex and some other plot points are limited, resulting in a few disjointed, convoluted narrative at times
and that could throw off some audience members
The message of the movie is about believing in yourself and accepting who you are. I give this film 3.5 out
of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18. The movie releases in theaters on March 9, 2018, so check
it out.
A Wrinkle In Time
By Ryan Rivera, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
I liked, but did not love this latest Disney film and here’s why. This film is an adaptation of the book, “A
Wrinkle in Time” written by Madeleine L’Engle. It is visually stunning, but unfortunately falls short in the
storytelling. The protagonists are Meg Murry (Storm Reid) and her little brother Charles Wallace (Deric
McCabe). Their scientist father, Mr. Murry has been missing for four years. Meg has had a rough time at
school ever since her father’s disappearance. Her younger brother, Charles Wallace introduces Meg to
three mysterious astral travelers. Meg is very skeptical of them at first, until she and Charles Wallace are
informed by them that their father is not dead, but was taken by a dark force. Meg, Charles Wallace and
her classmate Calvin (Levi Miller) go on an adventure with the three astral travelers, called the Misses.
Will Meg and Charles Wallace find their dad? Well you must see the movie to find out the answer.
I like the visuals, the cast and the message of this film. The visuals are very stunning. The scene where
Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon) becomes a leaf and gives the kids a ride looks very spectacular. It
almost looks like this could be possible in real life. I also like the transitions of the worlds changing as a
result of the characters’ actions. The visual effects bring this world to life. Another thing I like is the cast.
Oprah’s, Reese Witherspoon’s and Mindy Kaling’s performances as the Misses are exceptional. They
show different personalities which make them unique. Mrs. Whatsit is more negative, unlike Mrs. Who
(Mindy Kaling), who is wise and uses quotes from famous people to relay her messages. Mrs. Whatsit is
more direct and rude, unlike Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey) who guides Meg when she is scared or unsure.
Lastly, the messages in this movie are very important. They are about embracing your uniqueness,
recognizing the importance of love and being brave enough to discover your inner warrior.
One thing I do not like is the pace. In the first act, the pace is slow and that is fine, since it builds up the
exposition. However, the final act of the movie feels very rushed and is unsatisfying. I feel the script has
some holes in it which made me feel like the movie is missing some important details. This is why I did
not really love the film.
Even though this film is not “Pixar great” it still is a good movie to watch with your family. I give it 3 out of 5stars and recommend it to kids ages 7 to 15. Adults might like it as well. I recommend this to people who
have read the book or like book adaptations and fantasy movies. A Wrinkle In Time comes out March 9,
2018 in theaters nationwide
Link to Trailers
