Overview
A young boy discovers the power of imagination in a world where dreams and reality intertwine.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- whimsical
- melancholic
- wonderous
- family movie night
- nostalgic viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly value the film's imaginative world-building and practical visual effects, while finding its execution uneven and occasionally clumsy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bastian reads the mysterious book in the school attic and is drawn into Fantasia.
Fantasia is populated by visibly constructed beings including Falkor, Rockbiter, and G'mork.
Bastian's reading and imaginative engagement are directly connected to Fantasia's survival.
Fantasia faces destruction while its inhabitants confront the encroachment of the Nothing.
Films like The NeverEnding Story, and why
Labyrinth
child hero, storybook fantasy, imaginative creatures, and a quest to save a threatened magical realm
The Dark Crystal
young protagonist entering an elaborate fantasy world filled with practical creature effects and mythic danger
Legend
family-oriented sword and sorcery adventure centered on courage, imagination, and fantastical world-building
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
a bullied child discovering a transformative hidden world through imagination and storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Wolfgang Petersen
- Release Date
- 1984-04-06
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (4522)
Cast
- Noah Hathaway
- Barret Oliver
- Tami Stronach
- Alan Oppenheimer
- Sydney Bromley
- Patricia Hayes
- Moses Gunn
- Frank Lenart
- Robert Jadah
- Gerald McRaney
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The NeverEnding Story about?
- A bullied boy finds courage and purpose when a dangerous storybook pulls him into a dying world of mythical creatures.
- What is The NeverEnding Story like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The NeverEnding Story as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The NeverEnding Story violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The NeverEnding Story as mild.
- What did critics think of The NeverEnding Story?
- Critics broadly value the film's imaginative world-building and practical visual effects, while finding its execution uneven and occasionally clumsy.
- Which films are like The NeverEnding Story?
- Films with a similar feel include Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Legend, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
- How long is The NeverEnding Story?
- The NeverEnding Story runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch The NeverEnding Story?
- In United States, The NeverEnding Story is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex.
