Die unendliche Geschichte III: Rettung aus Phantasien

Plot synopsis:
In a prologue, the Old Man of Wandering Mountain (Freddie Jones) reads from a large book; begins to record a prophecy of a day when 'The Nasty' will arrive in Fantasia; and describes the savior of "Extraordinary Courage".
Bastian Balthazar Bux (Jason James Richter) grown older, and his father Barney (Kevin McNulty) has married a woman named Jane (Tracey Ellis) whose daughter Nicole (Melody Kay) is displeased at having a new family. Bastian has also started high school, where he has become victim to the Nasties: a quintet of bullies led by Slip (Jack Black). He arranges for them to be expelled with the help of the janitor (Mark Acheson) after they trap him in the boiler room. He later flees to the library where he is surprised to find Mr. Koreander (Freddie Jones) and the Neverending Story. The Nasties locate him, but he uses the book to escape to Fantasia, where he is reunited with Falkor (William Hootkins), Engywook and Urgl (Tony Robinson and Moya Brady). On Earth, the Nasties find the Neverending Story and use it to bombard Fantasia with fireballs and a storm. With a walking tree named Bark Troll (William Hootkins), Bastian and his friends head for the Wandering Mountains to speak with the Childlike Empress (Julie Cox), who asks Bastian to find the Neverending Story with the AURYN. Falkor, Barky, the gnomes, and the Rock Biter's son, Junior, help him; but a "wish overload" scatters across Earth, where Barky ends up in a conifer forest; Falkor saves Junior from falling to his death near Mount Rushmore; and the gnomes arrive in Nome, Alaska. Bastian locates Falkor and Junior, and Falkor flies off to find the others while Junior stays at Bastian's house. Rock Biter sadly informs his wife that Junior is gone, and the Nasties provoke them to quarrel.
Nicole takes the AURYN from Bastian's room, discovers its wishing abilities, and takes it for a shopping trip to the local mall. Bark Troll arrives at Bastian's house disguised as a garden plant, while the Gnomes are mailed to him in a box. The reunited group go in search of Nicole; but the Nasties find the AURYN first, whereupon giant crustacean creatures appear in Fantasia to kill the Empress and her advisors. Everyone in the mall turns to evil, including Mr. Koreander and Bastian's parents. Bastian is struck by lightning, and begins to succumb to the wills of the Nasties; but Nicole saves him, and Bastian recovers the AURYN and the book in a fight. The Fantasians return to Fantasia, which is restored to its former magnificence; Bastian and Nicole manage to keep their parents from divorcing; and Junior is reunited with his parents. Nicole and Bastian return to school the next day and find that Bastian has changed Slip and the Nasties into friendly classmates, and Bastian returns the Neverending Story to Mr. Koreander.

Tags: good versus evil, fantasy, flashback

Review:
Besides, I knew that it could not possibly be worse than "The NeverEnding Story II."Boy, was I wrong."The NeverEnding Story III" has rightly earned its place among IMDb voters as the 79th worst movie of all time.
It is so bad that, in writing this review, I risk making it sound like it's worth watching, sort of like "Plan Nine from Outer Space." I assure you, this film is in no way in the Ed Wood category of being so incompetently done that it becomes enjoyable to watch.
Those moviegoers who take pleasure in seeing cinematic disasters should be forewarned about this one, lest they never again be able to erase from their memory Rockbiter's gravelly-voiced version of "Born to be Wild," played in a video sequence early in the film and again during the end credits.No, I am not joking.The second film does have its admirers, and as much as I hated it, I sort of understand where they're coming from.
(Falkor, who must have gotten a lobotomy sometime between the second and third film, will chase after a "dragon" at a Chinese festival.) What we do see of Fantasia makes the place seem a lot smaller than I had ever imagined.
When the gnome describes Bastian as "not exactly Arnold Schwarzenegger in the muscle department," we're reminded how much more enjoyable the film would probably be if Schwarzenegger were actually in it.The cause of these events is that a gang of school bullies steals the book and discovers that it gives them the power to wreak havoc on the inhabitants of Fantasia.
Mr. Koreander is played by the British character actor Freddie Jones, Bastian is played by the kid from "Free Willy," and the main bully is played by a relatively young Jack Black, who now probably would like to do with this film what George Lucas wants to do with the "Star Wars Holiday Special.".
The first two movies covered all the wondrous things within the original book, so I don't understand why this film was made at all.
One gets the impression that this was made as a sort of kid/family-friendly approach to The Neverending Story, because it is just so simplistic, and sacrifices the charm of the original characters and settings for the sake of being funny and entertaining.
If however you are not familiar with the Neverending Story, see the original 1984 movie and read the book and be contented with that.
A few years later I had the pleasure of watching the second one, and although not as good as the first one, I have to say it is one of the better movie sequels I have seen (the people who comment on it give it too harsh criticism) It was still as imaginative and beautiful as the first one, and kept all the main characters.
There are those bad movies that are MST3K fun and then there are those that make you wish you had a sharp object to commit suicide with, this one is the latter.This franchise went from excellent original fantasy, special effects for the genre, and well written characters to bad acting and writing in part 2, to movie of the week actors and rubber puppets in part 3.
Especially if you're considering getting this for the kids, at least treat them to the original movie or something like the Peter Barnes inspired fantasy miniseries' from the late 90s..
Mr. Koreander's line: "The story's not over yet, young man" is the only time in any of the three movies where it talks about the NeverEnding Story's "unendingness." I like seeing the Old Man of Wandering Mountain, but it's not the same part as the book.
I love the first NeverEnding Story and consider one of the all time great fantasy films, and the second one while disappointing was pretty good, but this one was garbage.
Sorry I hated it, it has none of the magic of the first film, none of the sense of wonder that enthralled me when I first saw NeverEnding Story as a child.
It was nothing more than a pathetic attempt at humour with the unnatural mixing of the Fantasia world with the materialistic pop-culture that I watch fantasy movies to try to escape from.
Imagine that you are reading an entertainment magazine like "Entertainment Weekly" or "Rolling Stone", and you happen to look in the news section where they give you information about a movie that is in production.
It is by far one of the worst sequels ever made, and it does a disservice to the book by Michael Ende and the original 1984 film on which it is based (My review: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088323/usercomments-250).This movie takes characters from the book and creates a new story that is full of plot holes, bad puns, and very little logic whatsoever.
It helps very little that none of the cast members from either of the first two movies were involved in this film.This time, Bastian is played by Jason James Richter ("Free Willy" (1993)).
Although Richter looks like a preteen model, he is still harassed by a gang at his new school known as the Nasties (or the Nastys) whose leader is Slip, played by a then-unknown Jack Black.As it turns out, Bastian's new school also happens to be where Coreander, the owner of the book store in the original story, works as a librarian.
It's a pretty contrived way to bring the book back into the story after the main character has moved away if you ask me.What's even more contrived is when Bastian, hiding from the Nastys, retreats into the world of Fantasia, only to have Slip retrieve the book, realize its powers, and try to destroy the world and Bastian.
The NeverEnding Story being an enchanted book is no excuse to cover up such plot holes.When Bastian realizes he has to re-enter the real world to obtain the book and save Fantasia, the movie just gets worse.
There's the Rock-Biter's baby boy who talks in annoying "baby talk" that real children under 3 don't use as vernacular, an anthropomorphic tree who talks like an old Jewish comedian except not as funny, and two gnomes (Urgl and Engywook, featured in the first movie but played by different actors) who have a tired running joke about needing to use the bathroom.Oh yes, and who could forget Falcor, the luck dragon?
Any script reviser could point out these plot holes, and it most especially amazes me that filming progressed despite these inconsistencies.It is even more amazing that no one in this movie actually acts poorly.
absolutely, without a doubt, the worst of all three, and one of the worst movies of all time.I have heard so many negative things about it for many years, so one day I decided to watch it with an open mind.
On the other hand, I had nothing to do, so I decided to watch this just to see how bad it would be.My oh my, the many negative comments I read about this movie have all the reason to be.
Seriously, I don't get how in the world did this movie lost its place in the IMDb Bottom 100 because that's where it belongs.This terrible film should have never seen the light of the day.
Everything is bad in this movie: the crude puppets and sceneries, the very poor plot, all of the characters (especially the more than annoying bullies, the Nasties) and the crappy lines (such as a reference to Arnold Schwarzenneger and Jean Claude Van Damme).But that's far from being all.
Even how the characters dress, with their preppy plastic clothes or stereotypical "punks" outfits.As another commenter pointed out, the references from Fantasia characters to real world people and places is insulting.This movie kills fantasy.The contemporary soundtrack also destroys whatever potential there could ever be for a lasting (positive) impression.Everything about this is horrible.
This movie gives the NeverEnding Story a bad name!.
Especially since the second film in the trilogy was such a huge disappointment.I find it an absolute insult to the original film, the book, and Michael Ende that this rubbish shares the name "The NeverEnding Story".
Nothing at all like the Falcor we all loved in the original movie.
Believe it or not, being such a HUGE fan of "The Never Ending Story" saga, I didn't happen to see this movie till about 2 years ago.
Rock Biter has somehow shrunk from being the size of a 3-story house to the size of a door.I couldn't watch this movie all the way through.
Why oh why didn't they try a little bit more.Just a little....Or maybe they did try...Because you have to try hard to have such a shitty and boring story and to destroy the main characters in such an extent.And the villain...The nasties...Really....It went from the Nothing to the Emptiness and end up in the school bullies?Going from abstract meanings symbolizing the disappearance of imagination to the school bullies?The first time i saw it i actually stopped watching it in the "bike scene".Unfortunately i made the mistake of continuing it some other day...Wish i hadn't...Go watch the first movie again which is a masterpiece of children fairytale movies and don't ever touch this one....PS And all you trolls reviewing this saying it is fantastic and tricking people in to seeing this awful thing...YOU ARE TERRIBLE HUMAN BEINGS!!!!.
I don't know if it's because the movie feels and runs like they spent a grand total of twelve minutes in development, or if each and every individual element is inferior (if that's even possible) to the second installment.Either way, it's not worth my time to figure it out, it's just that bad, but if you happened to be among the two or three people who liked the second installment, the third is necessary to fill in the numerous plot holes.It rates a 2.4/10 from...the Fiend :..
And the sad part is this movie will probably appeal to young kids more than the other two.In this atrocity, Bastian Bux's father gets married and Bastian has a new stepsister who doesn't like him for some reason.
One thing I can say about this movie, is it's actually somewhat entertaining at times because of it's stupidity, where the second film was just boring.
It seems as though the writer and director didn't think to use the other two movies as references on how the characters should look or act.
Atreyu, the co-main character of the last 2 films is gone, and everything about Fantasia has changed in this terrible so-called final Neverending Story film.My rating: BOMB/****.
This third movie completely cut off Atrayu and made Fantasia look like a piece of garbage.
I'm serious, what the chocolate coated hell is this.The first one was a master piece, the second one was ok and this.....Should not be seen by a living soul.The rock biter is different looking, falkour looks and sounds like Patrick Star as well as being wrong.Jack Black, who plays a cillian HATED how the movie turned out.
I've seen the first two NeverEnding Story movies, but none of them have a script like the third one!
The series could have been great if it was consistent in actors & quality.I think I'm going to go cry about the hour I wasted watching this movie.This site asks for my review to be at lest 10 lines....
Once upoun a time there was a legendary tale like the Dark Crystal called the Never ending Story which is adventurous, fun and has many fantasy elements to enjoy.Then there was a mess of a sequel and now fours years after that messy muck, we have another ridiculous sequel, the Neverending Story III.It was getting good at the start and then 5 minutes later, towards the end it just felt like a funny, doo film and in this film especially, all the magic has died.The acting is still up to scratch which is good but director shame on you for destroying their talents.
There are many things which bring this film down and it is a shame that they actually tried to be like the first one, e.g Rock biter's bike.I'll go through many weakness of this film: - The Bastian character is really weak, annoying, irritating and comes up with the most stupidest accuses ever e.g. when the elves are in the box, he says the parrot I brought, for gosh's sake the bird would have been dead in 2 hours or less.What happen to the giant Rock Biter and why does he have a wife, it was already bad enough that he has freakin kid already.
It's a good film for kids from ages 4-7 and that's it.Like the Never Ending Story 2, I really tried to like this but it ain't enough, the magic is gone like I've said, even some of the dialogue is stupid.4/10.
I have watched the other two and well all i can say is number one is the best,did they pay attention to the first one at all i mean this is so bad,my own children wouldn't even sit and watch this they turned away quick.This didn't put me or anyone i know in the fantasy world at all,if you have seen the first one then i have a feeling you will be very disappointed with this indeed.Falcor didn't even look look the same in fact it was a big let down to the one in the first one,they could have made the story line better that would have at least been something.well when i watched this movie i was so bored and well i wont be watching it again,i was not impressed in the least and well if your thinking of watching it then you need your head testing.Being honest don't waist your time..
Entertainingly bad film...makes the 2nd look like a classic!.
Despite being older, more cynical teenagers, Slip accepts the concept of a magical world within a book surprisingly easily and decides that he will use the book to change the story he wants to hear and the world of Fantasia is yet again under threat  however this time the people of that world must take the battle into the real world.Having seen the bit in quality between parts one and two already I must admit that I held out limited hopes for part three.
a bit like the whole film, really.Jack Black has fun in an early role as one of the Nasties (what kind of a name for a high school clique is that?) and the actress who plays Bastian's stepsister is quite charming (if a slightly amateurish thespian) but we're a long way from the superb original here.
This movie gets a 2 only because it has the words "Neverending Story" in the title.
So here's my new breakdown for this god-awful piece of crap: 1 point is the minimum, and then a half-point for being a Neverending Story movie, and another half-point for having Jack Black in it..
Normally, you don't throw away interesting characters like him in any movie series.
Do you want to know why there are no more "Neverending Story" films?
I to be honest I don't really like watching movies that are older, But I love this movie soo much because I think its a very good movie also the story is great, the actors are amazing, I think the little boy who played in it did such an amazing job.
This movie is not as well done with the fantasia characters but I really liked the story line with Bastion's little sister.
Even that could have been passably entertaining, since the Nasties find and read "The Never Ending Story"(pretty smart bullies)and start to control it in a way where stupid Fantasia goes all wrong, so wrong in fact, that all of the myriads and gnomic creatures of Fantasia have to move down to Earth to escape.And after they did, I stopped paying attention and dubbed the movie quite worthy of its title, "The NeverEnding Story," for it went on and on and on.
I remember watching the second movie and being amazed at how bad it was.
Particularly when a group of comical high school bullies, led by Jack Black, steal The NeverEnding Story book and create havoc in both Fantasia and our world.
Before I commence, let me say how good a film The Neverending Story is.
It didn't even feel like a Neverending Story movie at all.
The only thing I liked in this movie was Jack Black and thats it.
But, when the rockbiter started singing Born to Be Wild,That's when i pulled out chunks of my hair!Just watch Neverending story 1 and 3 together and look at the difference This movie isn't even a 1,it's a -100,it's the worst sequel in cinema history!.
The acting is terrible and the only decent enough performance is Jack Black who you can understand why he was successful because as much of a bad story as this is, he looked like he was having fun.
Neverending story 1 was my favourite movie as a kid.
It can't be stated more clearly than that.Like many others, the first Neverending Story movie was a much-loved, magical part of my childhood.
You kids, better pick up the Neverending Story book from somewhere, read the original written word and skip incredibly idiotic movies as this one.God, horrible!
It really feels like someone made a deliberate joke of the beautiful story the first movie was..
=) A little bit of love, friendship, fear, happiness and you have the perfect movie like never ending story III.
Even the NASTIES are more heroes in this movie because they take advantage of what they have.That's why I want The NeverEnding Story III to never exist.
The Neverending Story 3 is ONE OF THE WORST FILMS OF ALL TIME..
This film has horrible characters like Rock Biter Jr. and messes up the series by a lot.