But there is an important distinction between the pejorative kids movie, and a movie made for kids.
A Wrinkle in Time feels very young to me, and I mean that as a compliment; it was, on its own terms, definitely made to speak to kids. And, to my delight, the film never condescendingly slips into the cynicism and pandering that afflicts so much kid-geared cinema these days. Im a big fan of films like
Hook,
Time Bandits, and
Return to Oz that wear their ambition and weirdness on their sleeve. Filmmakers who dont play it safe deserve our respect (especially when theyre making films for kids), and
Wrinkle in Time should certainly be praised for taking well-intentioned chances and being strange as all hell. For that, even the battering-ram emotional exposition can be forgiven.
When I think about the history of emerging director big-budget critical stumbles, I hope that DuVernay will emerge as employable and intact as her male peers. Because for all its clumsiness, the mere miracle that
Wrinkle in Time exists should never be forgotten.
https://filmschoolrejects.com/a-wrinkle-in-time-review/