Tagline: Begin an all new adventure as a young boy returns to a world of wonder on the wings of his imagination.
Curiosity: Also a key part of my childhood. Surely it too has aged well?
Plot: Bastian (now played by Jonathan Brandis) may have gotten older, but he is still very much the same boy. Still an avid reader, still loves his momma, still is afraid of water. When he asks Mr. Koreander (Thomas Hill, the only returning cast member from the original film) for a book that could help him overcome his fear of swimming, Bastian stumbles upon The NeverEnding Story. He can hear the Childlike Empress (now played by Alexandra Johnes) calling for his help again. Against Mr. Koreander’s wishes, Bastian again enters the world of Fantasia, this time literally, where he must do battle with the evil sorceress Xayide (Clarissa Burt) with the help of Atreyu (now played by Kenny Morrison) and Falkor (now voiced by Donald Arthur).
Thoughts: Got-damn this movie sucks ass. I never realized it when I was four, but The Next Chapter truly is an awful movie. Now, it reminds me of “the Matrix trilogy.” The first one was about the power of the mind, with fantastical elements illustrating the vast scope of one’s imagination. In the sequel(s), these images become literal, and stupid. So, so stupid. Character designs lack sensibility. Characters from the original, like Falkor and Rockbiter, are needlessly reintroduced yet contribute little to the plot or running time. It’s kind of a cruel trick to play on kids. The special effects and acting take a nosedive as well.
I feel kind of bad thinking this now that I know Brandis killed himself, but he is awful here. Every movement is over-the-top, every smirk unwarranted. I spent most of the movie wanting to smack the shit out of Bastian for being such a d-bag. I mean… the dude fucking kills Atreyu for the fuck of it. With his bare hands. Fuck that kid FOREVER.
Reflection: I’m glad this came bundled with the original film. At least it’s not a total waste.
No comments:
Post a Comment