The NeverEnding Story III - Escape From Fantasia
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Actor: Carole Finn, Jack Black, Jason James Richter, Melody Kay, Ryan BollmanBrand: Buena Vista Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 95 minutes
Published: 2002-06-01
DVD Release Date: 2002-06-04
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: Miramax
DVD Reviews of The NeverEnding Story III - Escape From Fantasia
DVD Review: How to End a NeverEnding Story?
Summary: 3 Stars
I remember watching "The NeverEnding Story III" in the cinema as a kid. It was probably the first time I ever felt disappointed in a piece of entertainment. The sets and effects were all of the same standard as the first two, yeah, but everything else was a bit of a mess. I hoped it would be a little better, watching it on DVD. It ended up being just as messy, actually.
Bastian (Jason James Richter in this film) has moved to a new school, and he's finding it hard to fit in, having trouble with a group of bullies called the Nasties (their leader played by a younger Jack Black). Bastian's also finding it hard to fit into his new family. His father has remarried, and Bastian now has a cynical step sister and a nervous new stepmother. Still, there's a familiar face at the school library, the antique bookseller from the first two films: Mr Koreander. He has brought the books from his store too, placing them on the library shelves. Among these is the NeverEnding Story, which Bastian takes once more, wishing himself into the pages. Now abandoned, the bullies take hold of the book, and by their reading of it, begin to reshape not only the world of Fantasia, but the real world too (as it's part of Bastian's story). Will Bastian be able to save both worlds from this nastiness?
It starts off promising enough, sweeping fantasy landscapes during the title sequence, but that all quickly gives way to a lot of cheesiness. Rockbiter has a wife in hair curlers, watches a TV in Fantasia, and gets to sing "Born to Be Wild". His son Junior now has a ridiculous voice, as does Falcor the Luck Dragon, who has gone from being a noble, encouraging creature to being accident prone and reluctant to face danger. The Childlike Empress, usually such a pure character, wishes that she should go clothes shopping, while the two Gnomes spend most of the movie looking for a toilet. The dialogue is a bit cheesy at times too. Regarding Bastian, Engywook (a Fantasia Gnome) says "He's no Arnold Schwartznegger in the muscle department". If he's a fantasy character, how does he know about action movies? Barky, the tree man, also spouts a lot of cheesy cultural references, probably more than anyone else. These is a lot of very 1990s pop music in the background, which by itself wouldn't be so bad, but in the midst of all the mess seems to heighten the cheesiness.
I was disappointed as a kid with this film, yeah, but now I kind of watch it in a "so bad it's good" kind of way. I was laughing so hard watching the scenes with Junior Rockbiter and Falcor, just at their voices, the dialogue, and the silliness of the scene they were in. It would be hard to purposely make a film this so far from the first two films and the original book. Even though it is ridiculous, it's still pretty engaging too. I certainly wasn't bored watching the film. I was a lot of other things, but I definitely wasn't bored.
Though I prefer the first two films (the first most of all), this one is worth a look, just to see how unusual it turned out. It definitely makes for something to talk about.
Description of The NeverEnding Story III - Escape From Fantasia
A teenager successfully wishes himself into the phantasmic world of a magic book. But can he escape from fantasia to right the wrong hes caused on earth? inspired by the best-selling book this imaginative family film celebrates the joy of reading. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 06/07/2005 Starring: Jason James Richter Run time: 95 minutes Rating: GSimilar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
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