The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990)

When I first rented this sequel I knew for sure it want going to be as good as the first (ex. reviews on this site) and I definitly turned out right. First things first the special EFX were used a little too much and weren't as good as the first. Also this one got a little bit too kiddyish with jokes. I also didn't like how the Rockbiter had a new voice that really didn't match him. Oh and I absolutley hated the Rockbiter jr.

6/10

Fmovies: There are so many things wrong with this movie its hard to pinpoint. I myself am one of the biggest Neverending Story fans around, both of the book and the 1984 film. But while that film didn't stray from the book much, this movie simply takes characters and puts them in entirely new situations.

The aesthetic complaints I have about this movie are further. Bastian and Atreyu look completely different (I know the original actors had aged), Pyorncrachzark (Rock Biter) had a child, and shots from the original film were used for horse-riding sequences. The childlike empress is older as well. She can't age! This truly is a children's film, whereas the original was a truly beautiful movie. Shortly, avoid this movie and see the original again. Wambos can jump in the Nothing.

I have to admit I was actually looking forward to seeing this film, especially since I had seen the first Neverending Story when I was a little kid. It was undoubtedly one of my favorites; it was filled with fantastic characters and a storyline that didn't talk down to me.

Then I saw this movie.

I have never been a big fan of sequels in the first place, especially if the first story didn't have an ending. This sequel was one of the worst I have seen by far. It is overly simplistic, and I felt no sympathy at all for this new and older Bastian, who seemed dumber than rocks before the evil witch/queen/woman-with-weird-eyes started stealing his memory away. It wasn't even the same Bastian. Come to think of it, not one of the characters was played by the same actor. I get the feeling that they, even if they were out of work, wanted absolutely nothing to do with this hack-job of a film.

The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter fmovies. THE NEVERENDING STORY II is a wonderful and breathtaking familiar film with adventures and imagination but inferior to excellent original. A lonely and grieving little boy named Bastian(the sadly deceased Jonathan Brandis substituting to Barret Oliver) is only living with his father( John Wesley Shipp in similar role to Gerard McRaney)but his mother has deceased.He seeks refugee in the library where meets a bookkeeper and is taken a fantastic book .Thus, again he enters the storybook world of Fantasia through the ¨Neverending story¨ tale . This time Batian is really in the flick the complete time instead of outside of the pages but happens that with each wish he lost records. There, he goes to Silver City and he meets the young valiant warrior named Atreyu( Kenny Morrison replacing Noah Hathaway)as he must save the magic world of Fantasia threatened for the destruction by the advance of Nothing that will eventually wipe out all the things and rescue the imprisoned childlike Empress . She is detained by evil sorceress Xayide (Clarissa) supported by his large mechanical beetles. Xayide has a dark scheme for Fantasy world and the Childlike Empress. They'll have to fight a magical army of giant bugs on two legs that threaten our friends.

The story is an enjoyable fairy tale with great charm from the original novel by Michael Ende,trying to incorporate too much dreamland with fantastic beings like a giant bird named Nimbly, the large flying pink poodle dragon named Falcor ,among others weird and bizarre creatures .They have been made by big puppets and no by means of computer generator effects but at the time had not been invented. The visual beauty of the impressive scenarios give the movie a real sense of wonder.The production design and sets are visually rousing and appealing.The film contains an agreeable moral message about reading books.It's followed by a new sequel, the third part titled: ¨Escape from fantasia¨(directed by Peter McDonald)with Jason James Ritcher. Besides followed by a Television cartoon movies. The movie contains spectacular musical score by Robert Folk and colorful cinematography by David Connell. The motion picture filled with imaginative moments is professionally directed by George Miller though with no originality because takes too many elements from previous film. Miller is an Australian director usually working for television (Tidal wave, Journey to the center of the earth,Attack of the Sabretooth) and occasionally for cinema ( The man from Snowy river Zeus and Roxanne,Robinson Crusoe ). Rating : Passable, acceptable, 5,5.

The 1st "Neverending Story" was one of my favorite movies as a child so naturally, I couldn't wait for the sequel. I was completely horrified at the transformation of my favorite characters!! Although this one was made in English and the first one German, at the very least they could have done was get actors that resembled the original ones. I thought Bastien in both movies was very annoying, but I was heartbroken that characters were changed significantly. The magic and the fantasy of the first film was ruined because the 2nd looked like a "Power Rangers" episode. It was completely awful and I was disappointed in so many ways. LONG LIVE THE ORIGINAL!! Do not waste your time with the sequels, they don't have the emotion, fantasy or anything compared to the original.

Just take a look at my summary and you'll get a great idea about what I think of this movie. I wasn't originally planning to watch this, but I decided to because it was in a day I had not much to do and so I did, if only to see how weak this would be. I wasn't really expecting much from it, but it turned out to be even weaker than I imagined.

But let's go by parts. "The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter" is a sequel to the original and much beloved 1984 film. Unlike the original, this wasn't directed by Wolfgang Petersen, but by George T. Miller. About the cast, with the exception of Thomas Hill as Mr. Koreander, the whole cast is completely different. This already says a lot. The original one has a cast you just gotta appreciate, but I can't say the same about this one.

Bastian is now played by Jonathan Brandis, Atreyu by Kenny Morrison and the Childlike Empress by Alexandra Johnes. Jonathan Brandis had a tragic ending in real life. In the role of Bastian, he wasn't all that bad, but we cannot compare him to Barret Oliver, the one and only Bastian. Kenny Morrison is good as a Atreyu, but naturally not as much as "the real Atreyu" - Noah Hathaway. Nevertheless, Kenny Morrison looks a bit like Noah Hathaway, but with a stronger Indian-like appearance. Alexandra Johnes really doesn't fit at all as the Childlike Empress, unlike Tami Stronach.

The characters from the first movie we all love so much are not as appealing here. Bastian has nothing to do with the loving Bastian from the original and here he proves not to be very smart - including whenever Atreyu warns him to be careful about what he's doing. Atreyu is cool here, but not as much as the Atreyu from the earlier film. As for the Childlike Empress, they really managed to ruin her image. Here, she's just an ordinary-looking girl with freezy hair - she has nothing to do with the angelical and innocent-looking Childlike Empress of the original.

Falkor is not the same here. He looks quite artificial and ugly here, while in the first movie he looks so real and perfect. Besides, is it just me or did he become smaller in this film? Another equally bad thing is his voice here. Golly, his voice here sounds awful! It's as if he was talking with his mouth full all the time. And the same can be said about the Rockbiter's voice here. Speaking of Rockbiter, now he has a son? That Junior is a little annoying, isn't he? Mr. Koreander is nowhere near as amusing here as he is in the first movie, despite being portrayed by the same actor. Bastian's father is now younger? And how come Bastian has a mother now, considering she's not alive in the original film?

As for the visuals, only a few are still good, but aside that Fantasia is simply not the same Fantasia I love so much from the 1st movie. The gorgeous and fantastic landscapes seem to be gone. The magic and special effects that give the 1st movie a feeling of something out-of-this-world are missing. Besides, Fantasia is now a silver city, which just doesn't please me.

The soundtrack is nothing special. Nothing to do with the wonderful and inspiring soundtrack of the original movie.

Very little in this movie resembles "The Neverending Story". In fact, this seems more like a mix of "The Lord of the Rings", "Star Wars" and a Power Rangers episode, with its extreme darkness and mostly because of all those horrible mechanical giants. I hate creatures like those. I also ha