This past weekend, Ava DuVernay's adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time hit theaters. Growing up, and even today, the book remains one of my all-time favorites, so I was excited to see how DuVernay would bring the world to life. Needless to say, I immediately fell in love with her interpretation.
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here's the gist: After her father mysteriously disappears, three strange beings help Meg Murry (Storm Reid), her baby brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), and their friend Calvin (Levi Miller) search the universe to find him. On their journey, they encounter a darkness threatening to devour everything it can.
Visually, the film was nothing short of stunning. DuVernay brought the world of the story to life in a vivid, imaginative way. Much of what she brought to life is similar to how I imagined the world would look like: the bright color palette from the beginning of the film leading up to the planet Uriel, and the terrifying, tangible version of IT (the darkness). I was intrigued by the way DuVernay visualized Camazotz. I always read it as a planet that was all doom and gloom. She, however, transformed it into a planet that, while it was overcome with darkness, was bright: an effective juxtaposition to the unsettling nature of the planet.
As splendid as the visual effects were, the most important element of the film is the immense passion and heart present in every single second, especially through Meg, the film's young heroine. DuVernay created a powerful young woman. Meg reminds us all, child or adult, the importance of finding and understanding yourself. Through much of the film, Meg doubts herself (who doesn't from time to time?), but because she underestimates her strength and her ability. She is why I love the movie as much as I do. Meg Murry is an inspiration. Sometimes she needs a little push in the right direction, but when she finds her footing, she becomes capable of things she didn't realize. In the end (POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT), Meg reaches the point where she finally trusts herself. She believes in herself. She embraces her faults as strengths rather than weaknesses. Thus, when she begins to tesser home to her family, she sees beautiful and brilliant colors she could never see before, and there's a transformation that occurs that fills her (and you) with ineffable joy.
Though all of the individual characters and their relationships to one another are admirable in their own right, the relationship between Meg and Calvin is a special one. Calvin, who's smitten with Meg, goes along on the journey because he felt compelled to do so. He's concerned for Meg, but, most importantly, he looks at Meg with complete admiration, and his concern diminishes as he realizes that she doesn't really need it. Everything Meg does that shows off her intellect causes him to view her as a leader, rather than someone who constantly needs his help. He compliments her intelligence multiple times. He trusts her without question. Calvin is an example for young men, showing that it's more than okay to let women take the lead, and to support them as they do. Through him, Meg becomes even more of an incredible character.
When I watched this film, I FELT it, through and through. I didn't feel like I was merely a passive observer. Obviously I wasn't literally pulled (or tessered) into the fictional world, but as I was sitting in the theater, there were moments when I forgot where I was watching the movie. I was enchanted by everything happening on screen. Despite knowing what would happen story-wise, the reunion of Meg and her father immensely moved me. During the entire film, I saw myself in Meg, and I saw Meg within me. I laughed, and I cried (more than once), and I remembered, even if only for a couple hours, what it was like to be a child again.
Ava DuVernay and her talented cast and crew have created a film full of magic, wonder, and hope. She re-emphasizes the importance of representation again and again, on and off screen (as a director who is a black woman); young black girls can find a role model in Meg Murry, and anyone (but especially black people) can find one in DuVernay. I left the theater wanting more, and (especially as a film major) feeling more inspired than I have for awhile. I left wanting to make something that impacts others as much as A Wrinkle in Time has impacted me. This film hit me in a way I was not fully prepared for and will never forget. This is a film that will stay with you for a very long time.
