A Wrinkle in Time – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, & Digital Code

A Wrinkle in Time is based on Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 novel of the same name. This latest adaptation comes from director Ava DuVernay (director of Selma) and writers Jennifer Lee (writer/director of Frozen) and Jeff Stockwell (screenplay writer of Bridge to Terabithia). The movie runs 109 minutes and stars Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zack Galifianakis, Michael Pena, and Chris Pine. Newcomers Storm Reid and Deric McCabe play leads Meg and Charles Wallace Murry. This adaptation is a modern take on the popular story. We’ll discuss the story, the visuals, the unique casting choices, and more below, but first – take a look at the official description from Walt Disney Pictures.

From visionary director Ava DuVernay comes Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. Based on the timeless classic and filled with spectacle, warmth and heart, this celebrated film follows an ordinary girl’s epic adventure and brave journey home, with the ultimate triumph of love. Featuring an all-star cast including Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Chris Pine, and eye-popping action – it’s fun for the whole family!

Before going too in-depth about the plot, let’s discuss some of the major changes made for this movie version. Charles Wallace is now Meg’s adopted brother, rather than biological. The twins are also removed from the story, making Meg and Charles Wallace the only Murry children. It’s also a more modern telling of the story – people have cell phones and no one gets called “Old Sport” in this version.

These details aside, the most obvious change is the race of many characters. The entire Murry family is Caucasian in the book; however, this latest adaptation presents its viewers with an African American Meg and a Filipino Charles Wallace. They aren’t the only characters who don’t match their novel’s character descriptions. Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which are described as three elderly Caucasian women, yet actresses Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey (all different in age and race) have been cast in each respective role. The novel’s Happy Medium, a female seer of sorts, is now a male portrayed by Zack Galifianakis.

While the casting decisions initially raised some skepticism, they work well. Nothing from the story is taken away or hindered by the decision to diversify the cast. In fact, the changes allow for a wide range of talented actors to work together in bringing this story to life. Be sure to check out the special features for more information on why director Ava DuVernay cast this specific vision for the film (Special Feature – A Journey Through Time).

On to the plot then – the movie opens with one more change from the novel. It’s a flashback to the day Meg met her new adopted brother. Before her mother brings Charles Wallace to see her, Meg and her father are working on an experiment in their lab. The scene does an excellent job of introducing each member of the Murry family and establishes the importance of Meg’s relationship with her father. Their connection drives her motivation for the entire film, and seeing it so clearly defined early in the movie makes it easy to immediately understand and root for Meg. It also helps to explain Charles Wallace’s motivation in the movie. Though he didn’t spend nearly as much time with their father, he understands that Meg did. Meg is driven by her need to find her father, and Charles Wallace is driven by his desire to make his sister happy again.

After the opening flashback, the story picks up in the present. It’s been four years since Dr. Murry disappeared. Because of his disappearance, Meg feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere. She is bullied at school by her classmates, told to move past her grief by her principal, and somewhat isolated from her mother. This is another change from the novel. In the book, Meg’s mother is nothing but supportive and loving, whereas she is sad and distant in the movie. Given her circumstances, the movie might portray a more realistic response from the mother, but it is sad for Meg to not have the strong connection to her mother that she does in the book. Meg’s only strong connection during this time is with Charles Wallace.

The action begins when Meg and her mother hear Charles Wallace letting a stranger in the house. They rush downstairs to find him speaking to the mysterious Mrs. Whatsit (Witherspoon). Meg and her mother scold Charles Wallace for letting a stranger into their house, but the next day he takes Meg to meet Mrs. Who (Kaling). Along the way, they meet fellow student Calvin O’Keefe (Miller). Calvin can’t explain why, but he felt led to meet the Murry siblings there at that specific time. After dinner that night, Charles Wallace announces that it is time to rescue their father and introduces Meg to their final guide, Mrs. Which (Winfrey). Meg is skeptical and confused but desperate to find her father. She and Calvin agree to go with Charles Wallace and his three unusual friends on a journey across galaxies and times to find the lost Dr. Murry, but they have no idea of the evil they must face to rescue him from the IT.

Let’s talk about works and what doesn’t in this version.

Charles Wallace is a difficult role to play. He’s a genius – a five-year-old with a mental capacity and vocabulary far beyond most adults. He notes in the book that he hasn’t yet learned to read because he wants his teachers in school to have something to do when he gets there. Deric McCabe excels at portraying the balance between Charles Wallace’s hyper-intellect and childlike wonder. McCabe shows the character’s endless love and support of his sister as well as his unwavering faith in their guides. When Charles Wallace faces the IT, McCabe’s performance doesn’t miss a beat as the effects of the confrontation become evident. It’s a standout performance among a strong cast, especially from such a young actor.

McCabe isn’t the only actor to give a strong performance. Winfrey, Witherspoon, and Kaling, may get top billing, but Storm Reid is really the star here. She keeps Meg isolated from the other characters, but never un-relatable or unlikeable to the audience. It’s hard not to feel for Meg in each scene.

Another notable standout is Zack Galifianakis as the Happy Medium. While Galifianakis seems like a strange choice for the role, he delivers a great performance. The Happy Medium, a seer grounded in balance, isn’t given much to do in the book. She sees events across time and space and is typically happy. The characters she her because they need information to find Dr. Murry. In the movie, the characters visit the Happy Medium for the same reason, but he offers more than they’ve asked. He provides some of the movie’s humor, but also gives Meg hope that she will see her father again. It’s a quiet, emotional scene, but it’s also an important scene for Meg’s journey. Galifianakis balances the humor and the emotion quite well.

Unfortunately, the pacing isn’t quite as strong as the cast. Some crucial scenes are too rushed. For example, one character is put through a type of brainwashing, but it happens much too quickly to be believable. By glossing over it, the movie doesn’t really explain how it happens or why it’s needed. Certain characters, such as the Man with Red Eyes, are hardly used. He’s an important character in the book, and his inclusion in the film gives the writers a lot of potential material that they choose not to use. Aunt Beast is relegated to a two-second cameo (however, she is featured much more heavily in a deleted scene).

The soundtrack often feels out of place, as do a few out of focus and “artsy” camera shots. These elements, though creative, don’t feel like they belong with the rest of the movie’s overall tone and look.

The plot is also a bit jumpy. The characters are here, now they’re on this planet, and now there. But why? It isn’t always clear why characters go certain places or make some of their decisions. There are a few plot holes. For example, the guides can “tesser” to some places but only at certain times. Meg struggles to tesser, but it isn’t clear if her difficulties are caused by a lack of knowledge or a lack of faith. Tessering in general needed more explanation.

Though the pacing and plot have some weaknesses, the ending of the movie is actually better than how the novel ends (sorry book fans!). The book wraps up the final confrontation against the IT and the fallout from that battle in about ten pages. That’s it. There’s pages and pages of setup but a very short climax and resolution. Here, the movie actually handles the pacing much better. It’s a satisfying battle that gives you someone to cheer for, an important character at risk, and a believable, threatening villain.

Outside of the plot, the visuals for this movie are fantastic. This movie is saturated in bright, bold colors. The look of each costume matches the character. For example, the Mrs. are always seen in bright, colorful, unique outfits, whereas the Happy Medium wears neutral, muted tones of brown. The locations are also beautiful. It’s clear that when their journey begins, the Murry children are no longer on Earth. Each planet (especially Uriel!) has a unique visual style. If only for the costumes and detailed planets, see this movie in as high a quality as you can. Blu-ray should be the minimum.

Special Features

The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital Code combo pack comes with the following special features:

(Note that the features are only found on the Blu-ray version.)

1. A Journey Through Time (30:28) – a mini-documentary about the making of the movie
2. Deleted Scenes (9:28 in total) –with optional commentary from director Ava DuVernay
• “Ant on a String”
• “Aunt Beast”
• “Meg Learns About Calvin’s Dad”
• “Paper Girl”
3. Audio Commentary – with the director, co-screenwriter, producer, production designer, first assistant director, editor, and visual effects supervisor
4. Original Songs (with music videos)
• “I Believe” by DJ Khaled and Demi Lovato (3:46)
• “Warrior” by Chloe x Halle (4:02)
5. Bloopers (1:36)

It’s unusual to not have the special features on the highest quality version, but that’s the case with this combo pack. The best of the special features is the mini-documentary. It is broken down into sections that look at the directing and vision for the movie, the cast, the costumes and make-up, and the role of diversity on the set. It’s informative and entertaining, and hearing Ava DuVernay explain her vision and goals for the movie is interesting. Another feature, the audio commentary, had maybe just a few too many people on the track. Overall, though, it’s a nice set of special features.

Takeaway

A Wrinkle in Time is far from a perfect movie, but it is an entertaining story and a visually-appealing movie. While the pacing is rough and there are some glaring plot holes, the cast deliver strong performances that complement the movie’s unique and bold visual style. The special features offer a lot of insight into the making of the film and the decisions to diversify the cast. The movie also provides a stronger ending to the story than the one found in the book.