The NeverEnding Story (1984)

The NeverEnding Story is a heartfelt, imaginative fantasy about a lonely boy who finds escape—and purpose—within the pages of a mysterious book. Ten-year-old Bastian, grieving his mother and tormented by school bullies, steals away to a used bookstore and becomes entranced by a leather-bound volume that tells of the doomed realm of Fantasia. As he reads in the school attic, he is drawn into two parallel adventures: the epic quest of the young warrior Atreyu to save his world from an encroaching force called The Nothing, and Bastian’s own inner journey from fear and isolation toward courage and self-discovery. Watching the film, you’ll be swept along by wonder and danger in equal measure: lush, handcrafted creatures and practical effects populate Fantasia—from the luckdragon Falkor to strange, sorrowful beasts—and the story shifts between sweeping, childlike whimsy and surprisingly dark, emotional moments. The pacing balances action-packed set pieces with quieter scenes of longing and bonding, and the film’s 1980s production gives it a tactile, fairy-tale charm that still feels magical. Emotionally, the movie is both an adventure and a coming-of-age tale. Viewers experience the thrill of heroic quests and the suspense of real peril, but also the tender, bittersweet growth of a boy learning to face loss and find his own voice. Family-friendly yet occasionally eerie, The NeverEnding Story is a transporting fantasy that invites you to believe in imagination—and in the power of stories to change us.

Actors: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Runtime: 102 min

Genres: Adventure, Drama, Family

6.9 /10 49 /100 7.3 /10 6.4 /10