A WRINKLE IN TIME
The Search For Pop
released 30 July 2018 | PG | dvd/download
Director ava duvernay Cast storm reid, deric McCabe, reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey
A much-loved children’s novel, an Oscar-nominated director and a nine-figure budget… these three things had the potential to create something special. Unfortunately, the finished result just feels a little underwhelming.
Meg Murry (Storm Reid) is an unhappy girl, bullied at school and missing her scientist father (Chris Pine), who went missing four years ago. She and genius younger brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) are approached by three women – Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which – who explain that he “tessered” across the universe using the power of his mind, and offer to help the children find him. Thus begins a journey across brightly-coloured planets and sandy beaches, searching for Meg’s dad while fighting a malevolent entity The It.
This is a trippy, vibrantly-hued film that’s fundamentally about a child’s attempts to reunite her family, rather than quantum physics or brave new worlds. It manages to avoid becoming too sickly-sweet, but as a heartwarming tale it never really rises above average, while the fantastical planets and dreamlike interstellar travel feel too artificial to ever overpower the senses.
Extras With the download only: Making of; deleted scenes; bloopers, music video. Rhian Drinkwater
Also just released: a 2003 TV movie version, from the writer of Legends Of The Fall. Don’t pick up the wrong DVD!