From the opening moments, as the graphics of the Archlord online game intercut with the world of Dutch teenager Ben (Greg Timmermans), we know we're in for something special
Comment
08/29/09
Rate this Movie 
Ben X (2008)
67
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:36
Fresh:24
Rotten:12
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Thoughtful and provocative Dutch film concerned with autism, online gaming and bullying, though loses steam in the final act.
Theatrical Release:Oct 24, 2008 Limited
Synopsis: Ben is different and his life is a universe all unto itself. He has Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism that prevents normal communication, and while he is a courageous hero—BEN X—in the... [More]
Starring: Greg Timmermans, Marijke Pinoy, Laura Verlinden, Greg Goossen
Director: Nic Balthazar
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Reviews for Ben X
Ben X's brand of reality [is] as vital as it is virtual.
07/03/08
It would be hard to guess from the final result that Balthazar has never made a film before; Ben X takes full advantage of all that the medium has to offer.
01/18/08
The best movie I've seen about teen angst since Donnie Darko comes from Belgium?
11/26/08
The best movie I've seen about teen angst since Donnie Darko comes from Belgium?
10/22/08
There is a lot to like about this daring drama but the final act pushes the suspension of disbelief to the extreme.
03/26/09
Undeniably a high-level achievement.
10/24/08
Nic Balthazar's morality tale is a shrewd exercise in expectation-subversion.
08/29/08
It has its moments of triteness but by and large Ben X is provocative, moving and effective. It's a refreshingly different film that cleverly uses aspects of game culture to tell and intriguing story and confront difficult social problems.
08/29/08
Ben X boldly melds virtual reality with live-action vérité style and docudrama to create what may be a new film grammar.
10/18/08
[Director Balthazar] has made a vivid little film about bullying and cyber-bullying, and done a remarkable job of opening up the head of a silent witness.
04/18/08
It's not the overarching naturalism of the performance that stands out but the conceptual breakdown of the portrayal into smaller, loosely connected segments.
04/18/08
A provocative, exultant stunner.
12/05/08
Top CriticWriter/director Nic Balthazar, adapting his own novel, would fool most as a first time filmmaker, as "Ben X" compellingly pulls one into Ben's world...
03/02/09
An acute sense of foreboding animates this ambitious Dutch drama; clearly, something’s about to go very badly wrong.
08/29/08
In short, Ben X is a well made, superbly acted drama with an emotionally engaging script and an important message. Recommended.
08/29/08
Enriquecido ainda por uma direção de arte que ilustra a tristeza do universo de Ben, este é um projeto artisticamente ambicioso que revela sua sensibilidade particularmente através de seus belos diálogos.
01/16/08
There's an especially important central theme to this striking teen drama that gives the film a potent urgency.
08/29/08
Flawed, but a forceful debut from a promising director.
08/29/08
This is a movie specially made for viewers who like a surprise ending.
02/24/09
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade 
Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!
Top 50 of 2009
Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.
Santa's Naughty List
Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.
Top 10 Movies of 2009
TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.
Top 20 of the Decade
Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
RSS Feeds