A Wrinkle in Time (2003)

Disney owes us a big-screen redo of this subpar made-for-TV production of an exceptional piece of literature by Madeleine L'Engle. It's about as good as Star Trek in script, special effects, and acting when it should have been at least at good as The Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter. Hints of the novel's stellar brilliance leak through but Disney repeatedly drops the ball with weak results. The scene with A Happy Medium is a particular disappointment and the exposition often feels as mechanically induced as Bridge to Terabithia with the acting sometimes as leaden. The special effects are from the Smeared Colors School of Art and inadequately portray the tesseract, winged horse creature, etc. On the whole, David Dorfman is exceptional as the young and gifted Charles; to see him in the making-of featurette is a pleasure. Katie Stuart is believable as Meg and I like Gregory Smith as Calvin. Alfre Woodard as the spritely Mrs. Whatsit mainly does her usual best but occasionally strikes an off-note. Kate Nelligan is quite good as the imperious turned less-implacable Mrs. Which ("Meg, I have always prided myself in my wisdom, but you have taught me much"). I _love_ Alison Elliott as Mrs. Who! Kyle Secor as the Man with the Red Eyes does OK because, as in Commander-in-Chief, he can be a touch megalomaniacal in the number-two position of authority. The IT police would never catch anyone for all their impassively standing around in Raybans. The script does best when it quotes the book to convey the hope and mystery that love and providence can eternally bring to bear in the defeat of evil. Read the book, read the book, read the book! But if you can appreciate a movie about familial devotion enduring through the totalitarianism and mind games of an evil police state that one child alone must defeat through faith, hope, and love ... then see A Wrinkle in Time -- and don't miss the interview with Madeleine herself, one of our brightest stars in the authorial firmament. 4 stars.