I've been waiting 2 months for this movie and I remember how excited I was when I discovered that there was a live action Ben 10 movie in production. However, on the day before Thanksgiving, I do NOT thank Cartoon Network for giving us this...horrible excuse of a Ben 10 adventure.
The story is simple. The movie takes place after Ben's summer vacation, when Ben returns to his hometown, Bellwood, and goes back to school and is forced out of being a hero to being just an ordinary kid. Unfortunately, his homecoming won't be peaceful. The evil Eon, some kind of warrior that can manipulate time, rises from his slumber to find Ben and use the Omnitrix to unleash his evil alien race against the world. It's the basic storyline in most Ben 10 episodes, but here, it is so disjointed and confusing that you are wondering what the hell is going on throughout most of the movie. Eon talks about how his legions are trapped by time and time this and time that, but really, the concept never takes off.
I was mostly excited because like all Ben 10 fans, it's a real treat to see Ben's aliens in real life. However, the movie only gives us Heatblast, Grey Matter, Diamondhead, and finally, Wildmutt, but each look so fake and aren't voiced by the original voice actors so they sound really crappy, especially Grey Matter. The movie tries to get out of revealing Fourarms, Cannonbalt, Stinkfly, XLR8, etc., by giving Eon the power to make the Omnitrix not work, which is never explained anywhere.
Grandpa Max, Gwen, especially Ben, are nothing like their show counterparts. Ben forgets who the Plumbers are, despite the fact that there are numerous adventures in the cartoon series involving them. Gwen is now nothing but a b****, teasing Ben, but more like a bully than a cousin. You never grow to like her. Also, may I add that she doesn't even use her spells? Yes. Grandpa Max? Well acted, BUT looks nothing like the cartoon version. He's not fat, not big, he has a beard, and wearing a hat all the time. He looks more like a trucker rather than a wise, experienced Plumber. Ben is the worst. He is not at all like Ben from the show.
The director introduces Ben's parents and other Plumbers, but they are TERRIBLE!!! They are so cliché and dumb that they don't even make you blink an eye.
In the end, I would say this is one of the most major disappointments of the year for me. The characters don't fit the cartoon versions. The lack of alien heroes is also a downer. The dialogue and plot line are so horribly done that Ben 10: Race Against Time is nothing more than a cheap throw to try and get Ben 10 audiences into the real world. There is no morale to the story, no reasons, except for the reason to see Ben and friends in real life. Alex Winter, next time, wait about 5 to 6 years, when you have a major movie studio and a much higher budget, give the story an actual villain (Vilgax, Kevin Eleven, hell, even the Forever Knights will do) and try again.
The story is simple. The movie takes place after Ben's summer vacation, when Ben returns to his hometown, Bellwood, and goes back to school and is forced out of being a hero to being just an ordinary kid. Unfortunately, his homecoming won't be peaceful. The evil Eon, some kind of warrior that can manipulate time, rises from his slumber to find Ben and use the Omnitrix to unleash his evil alien race against the world. It's the basic storyline in most Ben 10 episodes, but here, it is so disjointed and confusing that you are wondering what the hell is going on throughout most of the movie. Eon talks about how his legions are trapped by time and time this and time that, but really, the concept never takes off.
I was mostly excited because like all Ben 10 fans, it's a real treat to see Ben's aliens in real life. However, the movie only gives us Heatblast, Grey Matter, Diamondhead, and finally, Wildmutt, but each look so fake and aren't voiced by the original voice actors so they sound really crappy, especially Grey Matter. The movie tries to get out of revealing Fourarms, Cannonbalt, Stinkfly, XLR8, etc., by giving Eon the power to make the Omnitrix not work, which is never explained anywhere.
Grandpa Max, Gwen, especially Ben, are nothing like their show counterparts. Ben forgets who the Plumbers are, despite the fact that there are numerous adventures in the cartoon series involving them. Gwen is now nothing but a b****, teasing Ben, but more like a bully than a cousin. You never grow to like her. Also, may I add that she doesn't even use her spells? Yes. Grandpa Max? Well acted, BUT looks nothing like the cartoon version. He's not fat, not big, he has a beard, and wearing a hat all the time. He looks more like a trucker rather than a wise, experienced Plumber. Ben is the worst. He is not at all like Ben from the show.
The director introduces Ben's parents and other Plumbers, but they are TERRIBLE!!! They are so cliché and dumb that they don't even make you blink an eye.
In the end, I would say this is one of the most major disappointments of the year for me. The characters don't fit the cartoon versions. The lack of alien heroes is also a downer. The dialogue and plot line are so horribly done that Ben 10: Race Against Time is nothing more than a cheap throw to try and get Ben 10 audiences into the real world. There is no morale to the story, no reasons, except for the reason to see Ben and friends in real life. Alex Winter, next time, wait about 5 to 6 years, when you have a major movie studio and a much higher budget, give the story an actual villain (Vilgax, Kevin Eleven, hell, even the Forever Knights will do) and try again.