Search - The Neverending Story 2: The Next Chapter on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Excellent For Children Movie Release: 1991 DVD Release: 09/04/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 29 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Total Copies: 89 Genres: Fantasy, Children's/Family, Children's Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure

Following the surprisingly successful children's fantasy The Neverending Story (1984), this lesser sequel presents the further adventures of the young boy Bastian in the magical land of Fantasia. Bastian (Jonathan Brandis) returns to this kingdom of the imagination, reached through a magical antique book, to escape from his unpleasant life as a social outcast with a distant father. Unfortunately, things aren't so great in Fantasia either, which is under attack by the sorceress Xayide (Clarissa Burt), and Fantasia's young leader soon recruits Bastian to help win the battle for their world. Several memorable creatures return from the first film, including the Rock Biter and the Luck Dragon, and a number of other strange beasts make appearances along the way. However, the plot often relies on stale fairy-tale elements that make the sequel feel substantially less original than the fresh and unexpectedly charming original. However, enough children were entertained by the special effects and the simple story of good-versus-evil for a third installment, The Never Ending Story 3: Escape from Fantasia, to follow three years later. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Jonathan Brandis - Bastian Bux
Kenny Morrison - Atreyu
Clarissa Burt - Xayide
Alexandra Johnes - Childlike Empress
Martin Umbach - Nimbly

George Miller's follow-up to the family favorite The Never Ending Story comes to DVD with two transfers. The widescreen anamorphic transfer preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is preferable to the standard full-frame transfer. English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo. Subtitles for all four of those languages are accessible as well. Supplemental materials include the theatrical trailer. This disc should please fans of the film, but there may not be enough here to interest casual DVD consumers. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide