The original NeverEnding Story movie was a masterpiece. A complete work of art. I remember watching that movie when I was a kid, it amazed me. I watch today, and it amazes me how it still draws me into that story so easily. In my opinion, it is a pure fantasy world with no flaws, in acting, in plot, in direction, in visuals; the characters are all wonderfully original and well played.

*sigh* Now...to the sequel.

Besides the fact that every single character was recast (aside from the bookkeeper?), and besides the fact that every character has a brand new personality which contradicts how they were in the first movie. Besides the fact that Bastian had brown hair in the first movie, and now all of a sudden he has blonde hair. Apart from the fact that Bastian's dad has quite the receding hairline in the first movie, and now, in the sequel, where'd that full head of hair come from? Aside from the fact that Falcor turned stupid for something reason. Apart from the fact that Atreyu, the brave warrior in the first movie, turns into a confused sidekick that can only speak broken english now...

*sigh* aside from all of that...

The thing that gets me the most, throughout the sequel they call the Empress, "The Child-like Empress"... *sigh*

...She is not child-like; she is, in fact, just a child! "Child-Empress"!!!

The magic that was the first movie disappeared in the second. I think the thing that sets the movies apart the most, a thing that hurts the sequel quite a bit, is the fact that we have to views of the story, in the original, Bastian's point of view as he reads the book, and then Atreyu's and the others view from inside the story.

With the NeverEnding Story II, there is no outside view. It's very linear, inside the story only, except of course, near the end, when the father starts reading the book, but the adult point of view doesn't fit in very well with the story.

I just popped in The NeverEnding Story into my VCR. The visuals are stunning, the Fantasia world in the original movie is so well thought-out, and obviously so. But there's something lacking with the sequel, it seems like you're in a different, low-budget version of Fantasia.

*sigh*

So, I think I'm done with my rant.

But if you've lasted with me this long, here's my advice:

The original movie is, no doubt, a must have in anyone's movie collection. If you must see the second one, just to see how bad it is (if you haven't seen it already), borrow it from someone or rent it, but don't buy it. It's not worth the money.

This is the second in the Neverending Story series. It finishes up the sequences of the book that were left out of the first. Bastian has entered the book this time to help Atreyu and the Childlike Empress defeat Xyidia, sorry about the spelling. The cast is entirely different but there is more of an action feel to this movie than the last which was more sad and melancholy. Modern changes and 90s references have once more been added thanks to marketing strategies. God is nothing sacred! But anyway this film has some scary monstors that might give younger children nightmares so parents use caution.

THIS MOVIE WAS THE WORST OF ALL TIME, I MEAN COME ON NOBODY OF THE FIRST MOVIE RETURNED FOR THE SECOND ONE, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT WOLFGANG PETERSEN DID NOT DIRECT THIS ONE, THE CAST NOAH HATHAWAY(ATREYU), BARRET OLIVER (BASTIAN), TAMI STRONACH(CHILDLIKE EMPRESS), OR EVEN THE ORIGINAL GUY WHO DID FALKOR'S VOICE DID NOT COME BACK, IF YOU WANT A GOOD ONE SEE THE ORIGINAL NEVERENDING STORY IS THE BEST ONE, DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT EVEN SEE THESE ABYSMAL SEQUELS THE NEVERENDING STORY 2 OR THE NEVERENDING STORY 3.

This sequel demonstrates the commitment to film-making growth in the Never Ending Story series. I highly recommend watching the Never Ending Story III before seeing this one though.
I usually watch them in reverse order.
And, if you play Dark Side of the Moon along with the movie (start the album right as the name of the movie appears on the screen) you'll be in for a real treat.

George Miller really outdid himself here.

The first movie was one of my favorite movies of all time, I watched it all the time...but I thought the Batian in it was SOOOOOOOOOOO bad. He was to quite. On this movie, the Bastian is way better and the story is also way better, just like in the book, the second half was better than the first. Xyidea (sorry if I mispelled it) is a much better enemy than the nothing or the wold. She actully is one of hose enmy who befriends the main character and tricks him, and almost persuades him to do things bad, when he doesnt even realize he is doing it. So if you want a better, but more complicated (not for adults , but more complicated than the first was for younger children) then this is the one, Is much better than the first, but I love both.