“A Wrinkle in Time” fails to engage viewers with an insufficient plot

By Kaelie Macaulay

Arts Editor

With a striking plot and strong female lead, the movie adaption of “A Wrinkle In Time” has the potential to be one of the most successful science-fiction films of the year, but falls short due to the inadequate plot which is highlighted by the director’s choice to feature nonessential subplots.

Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and directed by Ava DuVernay, “A Wrinkle In Time” first hit theaters on Feb. 26, 2018. The film features Oprah Winfrey as Mrs. Which, Reese Witherspoon as Mrs. Whatsit, Mindy Kaling as Mrs. Who, Chris Pine as Dr. Alex Murry, and Storm Reid as Meg Murry.

Based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle, the film follows Meg Murry as she is accompanied by three mystical women-like creatures on an interdimensional odyssey in search of her missing father. Meg “tessers” across various worlds, interacting with disparate beings and overcoming obstacles.

DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle In Time” pays an accurate homage to the novel by Madeleine L’Engle. With little variation, except necessary changes in the dialogue between characters, the movie stays true to the book, allowing viewers to observe as the beloved book comes to life. However, the adaptation is negatively impacted due to the director’s choice to necessarily focus on extraneous tangents.

The outlandish characters are brought to life by the vibrant, unconventional costume design. Each costume marvelously matches the character’s essence, which enhances the acting. However, the constant change in costumes mixed with the plot’s tendency to elaborate on tangents, can be confounding to the audience.

Often underrepresented in film, “A Wrinkle In Time” features a courageous, female, African American lead character. The culturally diverse cast provides representation for all audience members, boosting the general appeal of the film.

Despite the well-developed plot featured in the book, “A Wrinkle In Time” fails to embody the true complexity and energy of the storyline. The broad scientific concepts and eccentric characters become muddled with irrelevant and meaningless subplots, blurry the general theme of the film.

All in all, amongst all of its redeeming qualities, “A Wrinkle In Time” ultimately fails to live up to the hype. Despite it being an authentic tribute to the novel by Madeleine L’Engle, the filmmaker’s decision to include subplots convoluted the plotline.

“A Wrinkle In Time” is available for viewing in theaters in nationwide.