85 of 91 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Michael Ende Would Be Ashamed!, July 17, 2002
This review is from: Tales From The Neverending Story - The Beginning (DVD)
Michael Ende would be outright ashamed if he had lived to see his novel slaughtered like this. The movies were one thing... but "Tales From The Neverending Story" is several notches below. Everything about it is bad... the costumes are laughable, the script is a joke, and the special effects make me want to gag. But tops are the characters. I must commend the makers of "Tales From The Neverending Story" for one thing - not only did they manage to destroy Ende's wonderful characters, but in some cases they actually managed to make them complete opposites! Take Bastian for example - the poor little boy, teased by his peers and ignored by his father, who finds his only refuge in books. "Tales'" Bastian seemingly hates books, and is content to walk around with his face in a Gameboy! Apparently the makers of "Tales" did not have their hopes very high, and had to stoop to adding "subtle" references to Harry Potter to draw fans. I actually laughed when I realized that red-haired Bastian's two scheming best friends were a boy with black hair and glasses, and a girl with long brown hair! Oh, but it's a VERY subtle reference, especially when the black-haired boy makes a joke about magic wands! In closing, I should note that Michael Ende tried for the last years of his life to take the rights to his book away from the man who has brought you "Tales From The Neverending Story." Please, read Michael Ende's book "The Neverending Story," and do not see this movie!
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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
My heart explodes with sorrow, January 3, 2003
This is by far the worst rendition of The Neverending Story ever produced. This statement includes the dreadful Neverending Story 3. The screenwriting is so bland as to narratively explain every step of the story, not allowing any personal interpretation to enter. The story is manipulated to the point that names and places become merely references to objects, and not the rich allegorical themes that Ende originally intended them to be. Unlike the cartoon series, which I recommend for its attempt to visualize people and places from the book not covered by the Warner Bros. movies, this movie repeatedly copies the first two movies without any inventions of its own (except a cute character named Flygirl, but that's another story, and shall be told another time...) The majority of this movie is spent in tight, confined spaces when they would do better to reflect the broadness and grandeur of Fantastica. I most definitely would not recommend this movie.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Garbage, Pure Garbage!!!!, October 6, 2002
This review is from: Tales From The Neverending Story - The Beginning (DVD)
Do not get this movie!! I repeat do not get this movie!! This movie was so bad that I had to take action. I have never written a review for anything until now!
This movie exposes the major problem with movies nowadays. The movie makers give too much time and money for special effects, digital graphics and animations, flamboyant sets and gaudy costumes, but not any money or time towards developing a story, editing, setting up atmospheres and staying with them, flow of story, development of relationships true to character, a psychology of good and evil, or even a good music score that follows the movie (instead of being off in its own universe). A movie doesn't have to have a blockbuster budget in order to accomplish these things.
Also, sci-fi fantasy movies generally don't look right with the high tech film of today. If one looks at fantasy movies from the 80's the film itself is grainy which gives the film an air already of being not from our world. Too clear and life-imitating film just makes the characters look out of place, and out of time. Furthermore, it must be difficult trying to act in a scene with a green screen behind you instead of actually being in that place, or some natural environment for that matter.
First of all (if I haven't already begun) I have a problem with movies being under 80 minutes (actual movie time, excluding credits), unless they are a comedy. Can one truly develop a plot in under 80 minutes that really brings to light human subjects and matters? hmm...
Second of all, I don't even care that it didn't follow the original movie storyline, or Ende's wonderful book (which I recommend that you read). The movie itself is bad!! Bad acting, portrayal of evil is silly (watch Willow to see a good portrayal of evil for all ages); too many scene jumps not allowing one to absorb the scene itself (why continue to go from real life to fantasy story to real life to fantasy story so quickly, it chops up the fantasy story and doesn't allow one to immerse themselves in it); stupid decisions made by the characters themselves; horrible costumes that take away emphasis from the acting (the costumes looked more like an Elementary School play being done to out-do itself); bad one-liners and even worse delivery of potent messages and normal dialogue between characters on the actors part (which should have been noticed by the producers and directors).
Oh yeah, Tell Atreyu to get that stupid look of confusion and disbelief off his face. If he was a fierce warrior he would be more confident in himself and his ability to handle situations that he has no direct control of.
Thirdly, your children should also feel as though there are being dumbed-down, taken for idiots, fooled, scammed, swindled, cheated of what could possibly be some very important life lessons (that were well told in the original movie). Do directors and producers honestly think that children can't handle more grown up storylines? I remember watching movies such as The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story when I was young and loving them, even though things went over my head. Now as a young adult I have noticed the very grown up material in them, how it was wonderfully presented with a passion (not for money or profit, but purpose), and have fully come to appreciate those movies even more.
And a movie can be fun and an educational experience (for life lessons more importantly) at the same time. There is no reason to chose one over the other. One lesson taught from this movie is how not to make a movie.
If you have already bought it, such as myself, then I feel sorry for you too. If you haven't bought it then don't even buy it used, unless you want to treat yourself to a painful experience. Don't show any support for this movie. Send it back to the studio with a letter stating your disapproval, or whatever you would like to show, if you can. I feel sorry for the actors of this film, but, hey, every actor needs a couple skeletons in their closet. And shame on the executives, the directors, the producers and the editors. You should have understood better.
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