As I read all of the negative posts here, all of them make me think of the third UNWATCHABLE installment.
i am not trying to imply that the second one wasn't inferior to the first one. It was. HOWEVER if you TRULY want to see a BAD movie, watch the third one. I dont recommend it by any means, but it lets you know how TRULY BAD a movie can be.
I think that in a successful movie like the first one, the actors define who the characters are. to ME, it is tough, if not impossible to make changes to 3 young actors who defined their roles; and make the replacements believable.
I admit that I didn't like the second installment as much, but when I saw the sickening attempt to introduce a third chapter, I came to appreciate the second one a lot more. At least it was based on the book. Im just sorry that it was not possible to make a second chapter with the original cast but of course with young actors, they quickly can outgrow their parts and this was done many years later. In a perfect world it would have been nice to make bot movie installments at the the same time but there was no budget for that and no guarantee on how much money would be made by each movie. I'm sure there were other constraints as well.
The first one has stood the test of time, even withe its shortcomings. The second one completes the other half of the book. it SHOULD have ended there. The third one is just a reminder that the second one wasn't all that bad after all.

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There's such a thing as watching a movie around the time it came out to get the right impression. So you missed out on this one.

awful.
The Dumbing-Down of America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbing_down

I also saw this when I was young and I remember being troubled by how the quality dropped so much from the first one. So MUCH.
The thing I hated the most is how, the first one takes itself very seriously and their problems are very real. It's a very dramatic movie. not any comedy, it is a real dramatic fantasy movie. with real dangers.
This one feels like a parody of the first one. Like someone was making a parody movie or something. This one was full of dumb moments and slapstick jokes. Which did not belong here.
The second movie doesn't take itself seriously and doesn't take the story seriously. Which is really bad considering how important the first one took it's own story.
This one feels like if they made a morning cartoon based on the Neverending story full of silly and dumb things. (but with real people of course)

I saw the movie at the cinema when I was 6 years old and like you bastets_kitten I also thought it was crap, even at that age. It's an absolute mess of a film that's disturbingly weird and has something very off about it. Also I think it's very evident that it tries too hard to recapture the magic that made the original work so well.
"Ahh, it's great to be young and insane" - Michael Keaton
The Dream Team

I read the book and own the movie. I actually think that it is a very good interpretation. and Jonathan Brandis's acting is superb.

I would have to agree with you. I first saw this movie as a kid, and even then I knew it was crap. The acting was horrible, the plot was stupid, and it didn't carry forward any of the magic from the first movie. I've read the book too, and I think that the second part of the book really detracts from the first part. Flame me all you want, but the second half of the book stunk.

The original Neverending Story is my favourite kids movie of all time,better than Labariynth,The Dark Crystal and the Goonies which are all fanbloodytastic.
I've been really put off watching the sequel after reading all the bad feedback on it from this site but it was on T.V. today and I have to say..
what a pile of s**t.It was nothing like the original,there was no magic about it,terrible actors,awful.Even the voices of the the rockbitter,Valcor and the theme music were changed and badly.
The only saving grace was I fell asleep three quarters of the way through which meant it didn't get any worse and it won't put me off the original.
"Mooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnncccccccchhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllld!"
'Are you gonna bark all day little doggy?or arya gonna bite?'MR BLONDE

yeah second one sucks dog,s crap

This movie does suck. The first movie was so much better!

I'm afraid that I have to disagree with you. I am a huge fan of the book and at the same time this is my favorite movie out of the series. I love the depth of the story, especially the Bastion's father storyline. I think that a few of the changes are good. I think that Xyide's death was better than the book's version. I also think that the memory machine works for the movie. However, I don't like a few of the changes, one being Atryeu's "army". Overall, I think that it is an excellent movie.

I agree, I used to love the movies when I was younger. Recently, my brother bought the second movie. When I watch it now, I feel that the "magic" is lost. I plan on rewatching the original and reading the book for comparison basis.

So, I seriously watched both movies (1 and 2) probably over 20 times each when I was between the ages of 5 and 8, and I loved both of them. However, I now realize that #2 is really crappy, and both of them are disturbingly weird (I'm suprised I didn't have nightmares my entire childhood). But I didn't have a problem with either back then, so, I would have to agree with leciga and say that the sequel is for really young children, because I enjoyed it when I was one. Unfortunately, I don't think it was intended for very young children, which just makes it a bad movie.

was, not is. he killed himself 3 years ago.

Years later and this is still one of the most ignorant posts online that goes along the million other same obnoxious lump.
There are countless number of talented actors/ actresses around. Talent does play a huge part but it isn't the only part, and this has got nothing to do with looks either.

That's the most ignorant thing I've ever read.
You disgust me.
Oh hai Mark!

Drake, suicide isn't chosen.
This Summer, The Greatest Battle Lies Within.
05.04.07

Okay, he was only human and no1 knows y he did commit suicide so wot would bein talented av to do wit him dying? Even da most talented actor in da world cld commit suicide. And as for sayin he didnt win an oscar.bein a good actor in my opinion aint abt winning awards!!!!!!!!!! Winning an award is interesting 4 one evening (da evening dat theyre actually won in), after dat its forgotten!!!!!! But all i was sayin was dat he was good in dis movie, and dats y i like dis movie alot =D!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I totally disagree with you, this movie is great and one which shows the true talent that is Jonathan Brandis =D xxx