Review of The NeverEnding Story (1984) by Jon T — 17 Aug 2012

In this engaging and surprisingly melancholy adventure, a shy, lonely boy named Bastian finds self-escape from bullies, school, and real life by reading books. One particular book that he "borrows", however, turns out to be quite different.

Titled "The NeverEnding Story", he finds himself drawn into the world of Fantasia, a breathtaking and often grotesque (but fascinating) paradise threatened by a deadly force known as the Nothing.

The boy warrior, Atreyu, may be the only hope for Fantasia and its dying Empress, but his quest is fraught with peril after peril. And why is it that the book seems to make notice of Bastian's reactions to the story? All this makes for a compelling piece of entertainment, although it should be known that there are some scenes that may be too upsetting for the very young.

For anyone older, the film offers plenty of wonders and imaginative characters - particularly a gentle, rock-eating giant, a vicious and scarifying wolf, and of course the canine-like luck dragon, Falkor.

The film is not quite perfect: some of the effects, although stellar for the most part, sometimes show their age (the occasionally stiff, robotic movements of the puppets' mouths, for instance) and the ending (yes, there IS one) feels a tad unresolved, as if there's another story waiting to be told (that latter problem is partially understandable, as the film only covers the first half of the novel its based on).

The pop soundtrack is also distracting at times, clashing with the medieval tone of the film (although the title song that bookends the film *is* catchy). Overall, though, THE NEVERENDING STORY is engaging and gritty escapist fare any lovers of books and fantasy will enjoy.