Disney and Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time draws mixed reactions, following the movie’s premiere last night. In recent years, a certain ritual has taken place whenever a major film, especially one in the Disney stable, has its early premiere. Especially in the case of Star Wars and Marvel movies of the last three or four years, early reactions dribbling in on Twitter after the premiere are typically uniformly positive. Whether it’s the excitement of the premiere or some other factor, that’s usually been the case, with the more mixed reactions usually following sometime after that.
The latest big Disney film, A Wrinkle in Time, had its premiere Monday night (ahead of its theatrical release on March 9), with the social media embargo lifting not long after. And what’s notable this time around is that the reactions appear to be much more mixed than usual for these sorts of events.
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While actors, directors and other performers have generally praised A Wrinkle in Time, critics and journalists haven’t been quite so kind in the Twitter reactions so far. While the film is being celebrated for its unique visuals, ambition, Storm Reid’s lead performance, and DuVernay’s directorial approach, it’s also being criticized as an uneven adaptation of a book that was long believed to be un-filmable. Some on social media have further pointed out that following the lifting of the social media embargo, several of the critics in attendance had nothing to say about the film.
For more on that, read the reactions embedded below:
Very emotional after seeing #WrinkleInTime. All I can say is @stormreid is a powerhouse! brought me to tears!! RUN TO SEE THIS FILM!!! Thank you @ava and Disney for giving little girls everywhere a superhero. #BeAWarrior
— jurnee smollett (@jurneesmollett) February 27, 2018
With extraordinary vision and a big pounding heart, A Wrinkle in Time is a gorgeous love letter to the next generation of warriors. #lovelovelove pic.twitter.com/VUekIk9fH6
— Kat Candler (@katcandler) February 27, 2018
We went to the @WrinkleInTime premiere tonight. What a lovely, gorgeously shot, inspiring movie. Absolutely go see it.
— roxane gay (@rgay) February 27, 2018
#WrinkleInTime is what happens when one of your favorite childhood books comes to life and it’s a candy-colored rainbow of labor and love starring all your (internet) best friends ✨
— Rachel Paige (@rachmeetsworld) February 27, 2018
So #WrinkleInTime is visually ambitious and very faithful to the source material. However, it’s also kind of all over the place and doesn’t quite land the themes of the book.Chris Pine is a standout & Ava DuVernay deserves credit for what she does with a nearly unfilmable novel
— Conner Schwerdtfeger (@ConnerWS) February 27, 2018
It’s telling that Film Twitter is staying silent about A WRINKLE IN TIME. It’s a movie they really wanted to like, as opposed to one they couldn’t wait to tear apart.
— Mark Cassidy (@RorMachine) February 27, 2018
Since embargo is up…saw A Wrinkle In Time…it’s intentions are noble, but this adaptation doesn’t work. Movie has a ton of issues. Loved the Sade and Demi Lovato songs tho. Looking forward to what Ava does next.
— GregoryEllwood – 4 Quadrant on iTunes (@TheGregoryE) February 27, 2018
Genuinely intrigued by the silence re: A Wrinkle in Time’s social media embargo being lifted. Seems odd that those critics so quick to praise BP are saying, well, nothing.
— Garry McConnachie (@TheGMcConnachie) February 27, 2018
I love Ava and she’s extremely important to film and it’s future but the fact she’s being protected for Wrinkle In Time is ridiculous
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a social media embargo happen so quietly, let alone from a freaking Disney movie, it’s so sad.
— Cool Beans (@MartyMcTweet) February 27, 2018
A Wrinkle in Time, directed by DuVernay and adapted from the 1962 novel by Madeleine L’Engle, features a cast that includes the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling, along with newcomer Reid in the lead role. The latest film from the director of the Oscar-nominated Selma and 13th, A Wrinkle in Time has been noted as the largest-budgeted film ever directed by a woman of color.
Are the early reactions a bad sign for the film? That’s certainly possible. DuVernay is a Film Twitter favorite, so it’s possible that there’s an “If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all” factor at play here. It’s also not an especially great sign that the full review embargo for the film isn’t until March 7, a mere 48 hours before the movie hits theaters.
Then again, a very small sample of people have seen the movie so far, so it may not mean all that much for the overall success of A Wrinkle in Time. Time will tell on that front.
MORE: A Wrinkle in Time Trailer Brings On the Eye Candy
Source: Various [see the links above]
- A Wrinkle In Time release date: Mar 9, 2018
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