Ben X

Yesterday evening (20/09), I went to an avant premiere of Ben X. The cast (Greg Timmermans, Marijke Pinoy and Laura Verlinden) and director Nic Balthazar were also there and gave a short explanation about the movie and their experience making it.

I had multiple reasons to go see this film, First of all, I like the idea of using the gaming community (which is so common among us youngsters these days ) to illustrate ones need to escape the real world and enter their own. Secondly, I was curious about the performance of Greg Timmermans as Ben. I didn't know it was his first movie until he himself said it, moments before it began. And finally, the movie became very famous when winning at the World Filmfestival in Montreal.

Let me just say that this movie deserves every praise it got and will get. From beginning until end, you are moved by the world of Ben. His relation to his parents, "friends" , and the world itself.

He explains his feelings through his Gaming alter ego BenX in the game ArchLord, why he is who he is.

Everyone was touched, seeing this movie and we gave it a standing ovation during the credits.

So go see this movie if you can, it's definitely worth it and you won't be disappointed.

Greetings Rafke

P.S. : You don't have to be a "gamer" of just know a lot about gaming to understand this movie... everything is explained.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

With the film adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time seemingly abandoned, it seemed that Rain Man was the closest I would get to seeing a film about someone with Asperger's Syndrome, the condition I've admitted to having. But out of nowhere, along comes this offering from the Netherlands (with characters speaking in what surely sounds like German!), which has gained some acclaim but seems unlikely to become anything more than a cult offering. It's essentially just your typical boy-getting-bullied-at-school drama, with a talking heads docu-drama feel thrown in along with some effectively unpleasant scenes of bullying (including forcing an ecstasy tablet down the victim's throat in the end to blot it out) as well as clever touches as using the boy's obsession with online video games to compliment fighting with his enemies in real life. It's a string of original touches strung together to make one film, and while it doesn't fit together perfectly as a film, it's certainly great that an effort like this is bringing the condition so upfront in people's faces. ***

I was interested in this film as soon as I read about it because you don't see that often that the topic of games is incorporated in a serious film with relevant issues. I was interested in how they would blend in images of the game world and the real one. It turned out fine, the movie is beautifully shot.

From the beginning on, the film makes you believe it's going to end in a predictable way but it had a good surprise ending. Of note are the well thought out monologues of Ben X, using very little words to express what he feels (something he cannot do towards others).

The movie also kept it's integrity in showing how most autistic people would probably be towards girls: mostly invisible. Although Scarlite plays an important role in the film, she's mostly in Ben's mind. Ben is also not spared when the cruelties committed against him are revealed. There was definitely a statement in the film without handing out a clear solution.

On a side note: personally I think autistic people should be able go to special schools. They are in some ways very gifted and smart and should be cherished that way rather than treated as people with a problem that should constantly struggle to adapt.

Back to the film: all in all it delivered all you could want from director Nic Balthazar who I only knew as host of TV show Filmfan and I knew it would have integrity because he is clearly an honest and personable guy.

There's also a lot of nice extra's on the DVD including the game Archlord itself, overall a well thought out, complete film package!

I watched this movie at the Festival in Montréal. I enjoyed it a lot. Some people really hated it. It's great to see a movie like this coming from Europe. The soundtrack was excellent and the acting by Greg Timmermans was superb. The Movie asks many important questions about our time and what it means to be caught in two "realities".

The director knows how to pull off an intense portrayal of a life between reality and fantasy. The visual effects were a bit unconvincing at times but I accepted that because the storyline kept me interested.

The movie won the big prize in Montréal, so I'll look out for this director in the future.

7 out of 10

This film goes very deeply into the problems that Children with the form of Autism know as Aspergers syndrome. The film uses glimpses of what seems to be a future interview with many of the characters to build a suspenseful atmosphere thru the whole film. The use of flashbacks thru out the film to explain Bens early childhood are extremely effective in conveying the listlessness that is felt by parents and children as they try and find out why their child is different. I will leave it to others to provide a plot summery but I will tell you something of the experience of the screening at the Montreal World Film Festival. Both the director Nic Balthazar and the actor who played Ben, Greg Timmermans addressed the crowd that night before the beginning of the film. Nic Balthazar spoke to the crowd in fluent French and English himself with no translator, leading to a booming applause as he talked of his joy at being at the festival and of working with Greg on his first film. Greg Timmermans then went ahead and spoke to us in passable French and English and talked of how nervous he was on that night. This is Greg Timmermans first film and he preformed beyond beautifully, bring subtlety to his role rarely seen by seasoned actors let alone a brand new face. This is not to diminish the other actors and actresses all of whom preformed extraordinary well. I hope that this film recedes world wide distribution for it is one of the most pointed comments I've ever seen or heard of on the treatment that children with these types of differences receive from classmates, teachers, and parents. Though I say this the teachers while sometimes seeming exasperated and at a loss for what to do, were never cruel, intentionally or otherwise. This film ranked as the best film that I was able to see in my short time at the festival. Lastly I would like to say that as the credits began to roll the audience roared forth with applause that did not cease completely for a full 3-5 minutes.

I left this film with my tears proudly displayed on my cheeks.

Good luck in competition to the cast and crew of BenX. May you see wide spread distribution and happy lives. You have touched my heart.