Ben X

Ben X tells the story of a gifted autistic boy who is mercilessly bullied at school. Seeking refuge from the realities of life with his condition, he begins to live through his favourite role-playing computer games, and desires to press the metaphorical reset button on his life, in much the same way as he is able to in-game.

The film flits between the in-game footage and the live-action without it ever feeling cumbersome or distracting. However, the pace of the film is uneven, and the narrative weighs heavy on the viewer midway through - there is perhaps too much of an exploration of why Ben wishes to escape the real world, and not enough time dedicated to the inevitable but very worthy happy ending.

Greg Timmermans does an admirable job of portraying the troubled eponymous Ben, but doesn’t wholly convince. Despite this, the film marks a very promising debut from director Nic Balthazar.

Words: Adam Carroll-Smith