x
Breaking News
More () »

A Wrinkle in Time doesn't land the weight of its themes

The problem with A Wrinkle in Time may not be the fault of the film rather that it's based on a 56-year old novel that we grew up reading and probably expected the film to reflect our age.

A Wrinkle in Time is based on the beloved novel by Madelaine L’Engle and centers on Meg Murry, a typical middle school student struggling to fit in and dealing with issues of self-confidence while also being extremely intelligent just like her parents, two-world renowned physicists, and her younger brother Charles Wallace. Her father disappeared four years ago, which torments Meg and leaves her mother heartbroken.

On one of her worst days, Wallace introduces Meg and her fellow classmate, Charles to three celestial guides who offer to help them find Meg’s father. Traveling through space and time, they are transported to worlds beyond their imagination where they are forced to become warriors against a dark energy that has not only been holding their father prisoner but is also slowly taking hold of the entire Universe.

Director Ava DuVernay made an ambitious film. There’s a lot of visual and practical effects in this movie and it had to be a challenge to work with such a young core group of actors on a film of this scope and she did a fantastic job crafting this film.

That being said…

A Wrinkle in Time was missing something. I can’t put my finger on what it’s missing. The only way I know how to describe it is that it didn’t have weight and I’m not even sure what I by mean when I say that. I’m not referring to the themes of the film which are important and meaningful. There are some wonderful themes in this film about love, self-confidence, self-acceptance, and being a light in the dark.

The problem with A Wrinkle in Time may not be the fault of the film rather that it’s based on a 56-year old novel that we grew up reading and probably expected the film to reflect our age. This movie isn’t made for us. It’s made for a young, elementary school age audience. That’s who should be writing the reviews for this film because they are the ones who need the message it purveys.

Also new in theaters this week…

The Strangers: Prey at Night in which a family's road trip takes a dangerous turn when they arrive at a secluded mobile home park to stay with some relatives and find it mysteriously deserted. Under the cover of darkness, three masked psychopaths pay them a visit to test the family's every limit as they struggle to survive. Johannes Roberts of 47 Meters Down directs this horror film inspired by the 2008 smash hit The Strangers.

Combining dark comedy with dramatic intrigue, Gringo joyrides across the border into Mexico, where all is not as it seems for mild-mannered American businessman Harold Soyinka, played by David Oyelowo. Crossing the line from citizen to criminal, Harold tangles with duplicitous business partners, Mexican drug lords, international mercenaries, and the DEA. As he attempts to survive, the question lingers: is this ordinary man in way over his head, or is he two steps ahead? Gringo also stars Joel Edgerton, Amanda Seyfried, Charlize Theron, Yul Vazquez, Thandie Newton, and Sharlto Copley.

In The Hurricane Heist, under the threat of a hurricane, opportunistic criminals infiltrate a US Mint facility to steal $600 million for the ultimate heist. When the hurricane blows up into a lethal CATEGORY 5 storm and their well-made plans go awry, they find themselves needing a vault code known only by one Treasury Agent who is played by Maggie Grace, a need that turns murderous. But the Treasury agent has picked up an unlikely ally, a meteorologist, played by Toby Kebbell terrified of hurricanes but determined to save his estranged brother kidnapped by the thieves. He uses his knowledge of the storm as a weapon to win in this non-stop action thriller ride charged with adrenaline throughout.

…and in Thoroughbreds, childhood friends Lily and Amanda reconnect in suburban Connecticut after years of growing apart. Lily has turned into a polished, upper-class teenager, with a fancy boarding school on her transcript and a coveted internship on her resume; Amanda has developed a sharp wit and her own attitude, but all in the process of becoming a social outcast. Though they initially seem completely at odds, the pair bond over Lily's contempt for her oppressive stepfather, Mark, and as their friendship grows, they begin to bring out one another's most destructive tendencies. Their ambitions lead them to hire a local hustler, Tim who is played by the late Anton Yelchin, and take matters into their own hands to set their lives straight.

Before You Leave, Check This Out