Classic Review: The NeverEnding Story (1984)

The 80’s had a very particular look when we are talking about children movies. From Return of the Jedi to Labyrinth, Legend and Willow, it’s very easy to see the patterns. The animatronics, the well-established good & evil characters, the fantastical settings, the earnest messages. They are always there. And The NeverEnding Story has them all as well.

Based on a German book by Michael Ende, The NeverEnding Story centers on Bastian (Oliver), a boy who just lost his mother and is bullied at school. One day, when he is running away from his bullies, he hides inside a bookstore, and he ends up stealing a book. He goes to the school’s attic to read it. The book is set in the magical land of Fantastica, a peaceful place that has been slowly destroyed by a formless entity called The Nothing. Atreyu (Hathaway) a child just like Bastian, is tasked with finding a way to save Fantastica, and he goes into an amazing adventure of self-discovery to save the place and his friends.

As a kid from the 80’s, it was easy to develop a connection with The NeverEnding Story, watching it every time it was on television and get transported into that magical place to fight alongside Atreyu. That was part of its charm and the reason it became such a cult classic: while Willow and Masters of the Universe have adults as the lead characters, The NeverEnding Story has children in the forefront thus making it easy for younger audiences to see themselves in the protagonist’s position. Bastian is shy and was bullied; Atreyu is brave, kind and faithful to his friends, making them easy characters to be attached to and inspired by. Additionally, the film features characters viewers cannot help but to fall in love with, the biggest one being a flying dragon named Falkor (Alan Oppenheimer) who was such a charmer of a character.

Looking back now, The NeverEnding Story is a film that has definitely lost its power. Its story is very basic, and lacks enough conflict. Meanwhile, the visuals have aged pretty badly, and some of the animatronics aren’t nearly as convincing now as they surely were back when the film was released. It is understandable that it engaging with younger viewers, but to adults it was never really that strong. It doesn’t transcend to connect with multiple generations like ET and Return of the Jedi (to a certain extent) were able to do.

Nevertheless, there is still a charm to it, because for better or worse, The NeverEnding Story truly represents what the 1980’s were about, at least in its genre. While it may not work today, in retrospect, it makes total sense how it was such a beloved film at the time. It’s a curious watch, although not a totally satisfying one.

still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

If you like this review, look me up on Instagram for more suggestions.

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

leandromatos1981