The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1991)

"That book asks too much of you."

Director

George T. Miller

Cast
Jonathan Brandis - Bastian

Kenny Morrison - Atreyu
Clarissa Burt - Xayide
John Wesley Shipp - Bastian's father
Alexandra Johnes - The Childlike Empress
Thomas Hill - Carl Conrad Coreander
Donald Arthur - voice of Falkor
Martin Umbach - Nimbly

While the 1984 fantasy movie "The NeverEnding Story," based on the 1979 novel by Michael Ende, only covers half of the book, the movie's 1991 sequel "The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter" hardly, barely, just ever so slightly covers the remaining story. Otherwise. the movie writers decided to toss the book aside and create a story of their own and add just enough small details borrowed from the book to justify the title. 

The only returning cast members from part one are Thomas Hill as bookstore owner Carl Conrad Coreander and Bastian's kitchen. 

Jonathan Brandis takes over for Barret Oliver as the main character, Bastian Bux. 

Bastian's imaginative side kicks off right away as the movie begins with him reading out loud to himself and acting out the pages of whatever he's reading, all while he's making a sandwich. 

Bastian hasn't yet gotten over his fear of...stuff. He was afraid of horses, despite his love for horses, in part one. 

Now, his dad (John Wesley Shipp) inquires if he made the swimming team at school. 

Thanks to his fear of heights, Bastian chickened out from jumping off the high dive. So, no. He didn't make the swim team. 

He pays a visit to Coreander's bookstore - the one he hid in while running from the bullies in part one - to seek out a book on courage. 

Of course, Bastian stumbles upon the book "The NeverEnding Story" from the first movie - the book that's a portal between the human world and the world of human fantasy known as Fantasia. He can hear the Childlike Empress (Alexandra Johnes) calling to him from within the pages. 

Mr. Coreander once again forbids Bastian from reading the book. 

"That book asks too much of you," he says. 

Bastian begs Coreander to let him read it again, but Coreander insists books change the second time someone reads them, and the experience won't be like it was before. So, Bastian takes it again without Coreander's permission. 

He goes back home to read it this time. No more school attics for him! 

Right away, he's able to reach into the cover and remove the Auryn. As soon as he starts reading, he's summoned back to Fantasia at the request of the Empress. 

Once he arrives, Bastian meets a bird creature named Nimbly (Martin Umbach) and heads to Silver City by boat. 

Little does he know that a sorceress named Xayide (Clarissa Burt) knows Bastian, the earthling child, has returned to Fantasia. So, she has her scientist named Tri-Face invent a machine that extracts a memory from Bastian each time he makes a wish on the Auryn. She sent Nimbly as a spy to befriend and encourage him to keep making wishes. 

Xayide's ultimate goal is to take control of Fantasia from the Childlike Empress. If Bastian makes enough wishes, he'll forget why he came to Fantasia in the first place and won't be able to save it.

Jonathan Brandis as "Bastian" in "The NeverEnding Story II."

Armored giants sent by Xayide attack Silver City. Nimbly keeps encouraging Bastian to wish the giants away until Atreyu (Kenny Morrison) shows up and helps defeat them. 

Bastian learns that a mysterious force called the "emptiness" is threatening Fantasia this time around. 

Atreyu and Bastian take Xayide as their prisoner. She tells them that she'll lead them to the Ivory Tower now that she's at their mercy. It's all a ploy by Xayide to gain influence over Bastian. 

She convinces Bastian that Atreyu and Falcor (yeah, Falcor shows up to help Bastian) are against him, and easily divides him against his friends. 

Meanwhile, Bastian's dad is looking for him. He finds "The NeverEnding Story" book in his son's room and sees Coreander's Bookstore address label inside the cover. 

He pays Coreander a visit, who tells him the answers he needs are in the book. Also, the label inside the cover is missing for some unexplained reason. 

Mr. Bux goes to a police officer for help and takes him back to the bookstore. To his shock, the bookstore is completely empty and abandoned. Why? Who knows? 

He goes back home and starts reading "The NeverEnding Story" himself. And as he reads, Mr. Bux is shocked to discover he's following his son's adventures in Fantasia. Bastian needs to save Fantasia from the emptiness, and Mr. Bux can only follow his son through the words of the book. 

Normally, I don't mind if a movie deviates from the source material as long as it respects the source material. After all, movies based on books are a retelling by someone else. "The Lord of the Rings" as told by Peter Jackson. "Pinocchio" as told by Walt Disney. You get the idea.

This movie barely touches the book save for the characters and the title. What are the chances that's all really because of the first movie's popularity?

To be fair, there are some elements from Ende's book used in this sequel. For instance, in the book the Childlike Empress gives Bastian the Auryn by which he can make wishes on. She does this after he gives her a new name as seen at the end of part one.

For each wish, he loses one of his memories. Also in the novel, Bastian uses the Auryn to galivant around Fantasia (or Fantastica as it's called in the book). He even uses it to create monsters and such for himself to conquer. One of these creatures he creates is a dragon he calls "Smerg" which is depicted in this movie. The evil sorceress Xayide also shows up in the book to help Bastian do some bad stuff. And this is about all that part two borrows from the novel, as far as I know. I read the book once about 15 years ago.

Clarissa Burt as "Xayide."

"The NeverEnding Story II" makes a slightly decent effort to respect and fit alongside the first movie while trying to be its own movie. 

The first movie, even as a children's fantasy film, carries a certain dignity that gives the children in its audience the respect that they can handle heavy themes such as sadness, loss, and death. 

Part two replaces that tone with mere pandering. It's watered down compared to the first, which has made lasting impressions on young audiences since its 1984 release. Does anyone remember anything about part two, aside from it being a Jonathan Brandis movie? 

The original has a complex scenario, memorable characters, an impressive and unique atmosphere, a great theme song, and a valuable lesson in confidence, perseverance, and imagination. It's one of the best family movies out there.

The unfolding story element from the first movie is mediocre in part two. The original brings the audience, just as Michael Ende's novel brings in its readers, into the fold as they follow Bastian's adventure while he follows Atreyu's adventure in trying to save Fantasia and the Childlike Empress. The story acknowledges the viewing audience's participation. And both Bastian and Atreyu have imposing doom looming over their respective quests. Kudos to the writers for making a non-entity called "the nothing" such a menacing presence.

The first movie makes it clear to its young audience that this isn't just another story. This is an ongoing tale that continues on each time they watch. It's a story where imagination is a pivotal character. It acknowledges its audience and that this story, and all other stories they'll read, will forever be a part of their lives.

"Just as he is sharing your adventures others are sharing his," the Empress tells Atreyu in part. "They were with him when he [Bastian] hid from the boys in the bookstore....They were with him when he took the book with the Auryn symbol on the cover in which he's reading his own story right now."

In part two, the audience's place is given completely to Bastian's dad, and the audience is placed back where the audience always is- behind the fourth wall. 

Overall, the writing in part two is very weak. If it's empty of anything, it's logic. For instance, Bastian knows he can make wishes on the Auryn while being clueless about Xayide's plans to steal his memories after each wish. I don't understand why he doesn't use the Auryn more often. And the few instances he does make wishes, they're stupid! In one scene when the armed soldiers are closing in on Bastian, he wishes for a spray can as a weapon. The stupidity speaks for itself. 

Despite weak writing, this movie has a little effort behind it. It's just not enough. 

I think much of this effort in the introduction of new characters. But like the big bad threat "the emptiness" in the movie, "The NeverEnding Story II" really is empty.  

The plot is subpar. Some plot points feel like they were made up along the way, such as Coreander's bookstore suddenly disappearing. And Bastian's work to defeat the emptiness is underwhelming and tame with hardly any emotion. 

There's also plenty of recycled footage from the first movie to give it the same atmosphere as before. However, it does have its own wonderful imagery and atmosphere. Some of the scenes are well shot, such as a scene with Bastian walking against the sun. Like the first, part two does work in a lot of light and dark which helps give it a similar tone at times. 

I've seen rumors online which strike me as legit that Disney has plans to remake "The NeverEnding Story." If that's the case, I'm curious enough to see how much they keep the story tied to the book, and at what point they'll end the movie. Disney needs a win and needs it badly. I'm not holding out much, but as the book has a real dignity and uniqueness to it, I hope a remake can capture and maintain that, and not resort to pandering or pointless fan service. 

Part two tries to capture the feel and sophistication of the first movie but doesn't come close to its level. The only reason it's remembered is because it stars the late Jonathan Brandis, and it has "The NeverEnding Story" in its title.