'A Wrinkle in Time' has a strong message for kids, but is plagued by a dragging story and lame special effects

• The latest adaptation of the Madeleine L'Engle novel directed by Ava DuVernay is an inspiring tale for children.
• But with pacing issues and some underwhelming special effects it's not at the level of Disney stories we've become accustomed to.

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On Friday, Disney goes for round two with Madeleine L'Engle's 1960s novel, "A Wrinkle in Time." In 2004, the studio released a made-for-TV adaptation that finally aired after two years of date changes and a recut. 14 years later, the studio has tapped Ava DuVernay ("Selma") to take on the material.

Outside of both versions being highly inspirational for kids, these two adaptations could not be any different. DuVernay's doesn't feature a predominantly white cast and is fueled by special effects. However, the material is a challenge to make work for the screen, and that is clearly evident with the new movie.

"A Wrinkle in Time" looks at a family dealing with the sudden disappearance of their scientist father, Alex (Chris Pine), four years ago. His daughter, Meg (Storm Reid), struggles with understanding what happened and being bullied at school isn't making things easier. Meg's highly intelligent younger brother, Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), tries to keep her hopes up while her mother (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) also tries to stay positive. But suddenly a strangely dressed woman named Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon) shows up in their living room and with the help of her fellow astral travelers, Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), tells Meg, Charles Wallace, and Meg's friend Calvin (Levi Miller) that they can find Alex.

The movie then becomes a trippy journey to another universe, where Alex has been captured by the evil "IT," which feeds off of negativity. Meg must overcome her own issues with self-confidence to defeat the IT.

The elements created by L'Engle have all the makings of a strong fantasy movie, but DuVernay's adaptation (written by Jeff Stockwell and "Frozen" writer/director Jennifer Lee) has major pacing issues. The scenes just drag on and seem to marvel at its special effects - which aren't that strong to begin with - instead of moving the story forward.

At times the movie's dramatic moments have the feeling of a cheesy Hallmark Channel movie rather than something that came from the most powerful movie studio in Hollywood. And Winfrey and Kaling look completely out of their element. Witherspoon carries the load a lot in the scenes featuring the three warrior travelers.

But there are some things that will make you chuckle (in fact, a lot if you watch this movie in an altered state of mind). Michael Peña's evil Red character features unique facial hair and at one point he collapses into multiple pieces. Our heroes encounter a cul-de-sac of zoned-out kids bouncing red balls in unison. And for a good stretch of the middle of the movie Winfrey's character is a giant and Witherspoon's character suddenly transforms into a big leaf that the kids ride on (for no clear reason).

The good thing about "A Wrinkle in Time" is it has an extremely powerful message for kids. It features a strong family structure, encourages you to love the qualities that make you unique, and has a diverse cast. At the very least, DuVernay delivers a story that will speak to all kinds of young people.