Die unendliche Geschichte

An amazingly filmed fantasy masterpiece with a story so action-packed that it takes your breath away. From the moment the disobedient student starts reading the magical book, a thrilling adventure begins, with one mesmerizing location after another, rich in powerful and poignant words, all beautifully accompanied by stunning music. If there’s anything Wolfgang Petersen put his heart on, it was definitely The NeverEnding Story. The conclusion is brilliant, and during the scene when Atreyu passes through the first gate, it is impossible not to have a heart-stopping moment. (17.09.2007)

I understand that in the eighties, The NeverEnding Story must have been an absolute bomb, revelation, and cult, but today, at my age, it seems slightly amusing to me and above all incredibly boring. Some masks are cute even today, the main point is timeless, but overall it bored me desperately. I believe that if I had watched it in childhood, my enthusiasm would have been immensely greater. (12.02.2017)

The notoriously unsuccessful lawyer Lionel Hutz was right to sue The NeverEnding Story for fraudulent advertising, but the surprising finiteness of the film is also it’s only weakness. I don’t know any other family fantasy movie that manages to be entertaining, moving and truly thrilling with the same boldness, and everything with unforgettable settings and under a confident direction that masterfully builds every scene. Doldinger’s music is also good, the make-up effects are brilliant and to this day, this must be the best blend of two fictional worlds that complement each other. After the excellent Das Boot, Petersen did a another great job in the 80s, only to show his back to Hollywood for a second time. (02.01.2021)

When you know that every scene and every shot is of such importance to you as the last one and it’s accompanied by the resonant melodies played by the king of synthesizers Giorgio Moroder, you are unable to rate it any other way than with 5 stars. The quality of this movie is so good that it is beyond the line of reality. As is the story itself. (25.12.2019)

The most famous film from Michael Ende's treasure trove of fairy tales. Bernd Eichinger's famous production and the basis of a franchise that made the most of the original concept (including the theme park in Babelsberg). The view of the film itself changes with the knowledge that barely half of Ende’s work is used here. In the second half of the book, Ende becomes more philosophical and works with the motif of Fantasia in a similar way to how C.S. Lewis does in "Narnia". (12.12.2021)