“Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix” is the feature length finale of the original “Ben 10” series. I really liked the original series so I had fairly high hopes but I was left disappointed by this. It raises the stakes yet never feels like it.

Ben Tennyson has been spending his time saving the world with the power of the Omnitrix watch, which allows him to turn into different aliens. However, a fight with Dr. Animo causes damage to the watch and now the Omnitrix is in self-destruct mode. This not only threatens the life of Ben but the whole universe. Ben must journey into space to find the creator of the Omnitrix and battle the evil Vilgax.

I always liked the Ben Tennyson character. He’s like if Bart Simpson could be a superhero. He’s got some depth to him. Depth that was eliminated in some of the later incarnations of the tv series. Of course, the highlight is always seeing him turn into different aliens. However, this film cheats us a little. Ben must use the Omnitrix’s power sparingly here as he will accelerate the timer on the self-destruct sequence. None of the other characters get all that much to do. The animation looks as sharp as it does on the show. Nothing very exciting but I’ve always liked the visual style.

“Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix” gives us a plot where the fate of the entire universe at risk but it never really feels like it. There’s a relatively relaxed feel to it all and it makes it hard to get properly invested in what is transpiring. It’s a shame because I like the show and I like the characters. The movie is not bad by any means but it lacks the energy it needed to make it work.