The Neverending Story (1984)
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 35
Fresh: 28 | Rotten: 7
A magical journey about the power of a young boy's imagination to save a dying fantasy land, The NeverEnding Story remains a much-loved kids adventure.
Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 2
A magical journey about the power of a young boy's imagination to save a dying fantasy land, The NeverEnding Story remains a much-loved kids adventure.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 372,210
Movie Info
Wolfgang Petersen adapted Michael Ende's children's story for this charming fantasy film that spawned several sequels. Bastian (Barret Oliver) is dealing with his mother's recent death. His father (Gerald McRaney) is an imperious sort who continually lambastes Bastian for daydreaming and falling behind in school. On top of his father's badgering, he has to contend with a bunch of school bullies waiting for him in the schoolyard. One day he decides to play hooky and walks into a strange
Jul 20, 1984 Wide
Sep 4, 2001
Warner Home Video
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Noah Hathaway
Atreyu -
Barret Oliver
Bastian -
Tami Stronach
Childlike empress -
Moses Gunn
Cairon -
Patricia Hayes
Urgl -
Sydney Bromley
Engywook -
Gerald McRaney
Bastian's Father -
Deep Roy
Teeny Weeny -
Thomas Hill
Koreander -
Tilo Prückner
Night Hob -
Darryl Cooksey
Bully -
Drum Garrett
Bully -
Nicholas Gilbert
Bully -
Alan Oppenheimer
Falkor
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All Critics (35) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (7) | DVD (9)
A marvelously realized flight of pure fantasy.
Despite the sophistication of the source material, the film isn't particularly successful.
A fairytale of the very best kind.
Top CriticThe world of this movie looks like a very particular place, and the art direction involved a lot of imagination.
The Neverending Story may have cost a mint to produce, but the result is bargain-basement.
Fantasies as hearty and original as this are rare at the movies.
The story is a touch simplistic, but Petersen's direction is assured and children will be dazzled by the imaginative effects and stunning sets.
It pokes along at times and lapses occasionally into dark moments of preachy philosophy, but this is still a charming, amusing and harmless film for kids.
Here is a little adventure that fed on our uncultivated need to think, and wonder. It gave many of us our first taste of cinematic possibility.
The NeverEnding Story remains a testament to the power of imagination and the type of inventive cinema that was possible in a pre-digital era.
All in all, The Neverending Story is a silly fantasy movie that often shows its age, but as a kids' movie it still has enough exciting action and you-can-do-it attitude to earn itself a place in a family's DVD collection.
This was sweet and charming at the time but now it just lacks either the comedy or sophistication of kids' fantasy film that we've all become accustomed to.
Only a certified grump could dislike this engaging fantasy that wends its way into the imagination and is a delight on most levels.
As a testament to the power of books, the often gloomy The Neverending Story comes off as a Reading Rainbow episode covering existentialism.
It's very hard not to give in to The Neverending Story's heart-in-the-right-place charms amidst an increasingly anti-literate society. [Blu-ray]
...has enough charm, delight, and wonder going for it to entertain most youngsters, and that's all that matters.
Magical storytelling targeted at children still fascinates.
Even better if you never see the sequels.
An enjoyable departure from both Das Boot and Kajagoogoo.
An above-average children's flick with interesting characters and an imaginative premise.
Audience Reviews for The Neverending Story
Super Reviewer
I saw it years ago and didn't think much of it. Gave it another try and it is still mostly a bore.
It's like SId & Marty Kroft meets Jim Henson without all the fun.
Super Reviewer
I know it's a fantasy film, but even then, it just seems a little silly, and kind of like the filmmakers automatically assumed you'd have an emotional investment from the start. A good example of this is the swamo scene with Artax. I don't have ice in my veins, but it was hard for me to care about things. It felt shallow and I wasn't really all that moved by what happens.
I like the fact that this is a film made when animatronics and puppetry were king, though. Practical just almost always seems better to me. The film does look good, and the direction is nice, but some of the performances are a little iffy for me, mostly because these aren't exactly the best child actors. They're not terrible though.
Hate me if you want, but I can't help it that this didn't win me over as being some kind of masterpiece. I'm glad I finally saw it, but it's just not really my thing.
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Movies Like The Neverending Story
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- Engywook: To the winch, wench.
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- Falkor: Never give up and good luck will find you.
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- Falkor: Never give up and good luck will find you.
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- Falkor: I like children.
- Atreyu: [nervously] For breakfast?
- Falkor: [laughs] Never!
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- Koreander: The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects. They're called books. They require a little effort on your part, and make no bee-bee-bee-bee-beeps. On your way please.
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Foreign Titles
- Die unendliche Geschichte (DE)
- The Neverending Story (UK)
