Based on Michael Ende's classic children's book this sequel finds the young hero Bastian encountering new adventures in the magical world of fantasia. In this sequel to the 1984 film our young hero again bored with the real world returns to his storybook's magical land of Fantasia and attempts to slay the evils that threaten the extinction of goodness. There he finds a special brand of courage within himself a reminder of the eternal optimistic child within us all.Running Time: 89 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY UPC: 085391327820
Amazon.com
Filled with a few imaginative moments and a child actor who looks like a miniaturized Sharon Stone, II isn't as neverending as the third headache in the series, but it's not on par with the original. Versions of Atreyu, the brave warrior, Rockbiter, and Falcor, that flying, pink, poodle-dragon, return to travel across the storybook world of Fantasia. This time our protagonist and reader, Bastian, is actually in the story the entire time instead of looking on from outside the pages. The interaction doesn't help, as it's the same crisis and the same story line (well, okay, he is reading the same book), but at least the film is not as unrelentingly melancholy as the first one either. Children may be frightened by the "giants," large dung beetles on two legs, that threaten our heroes. --Keith Simanton
