Description

Here's the latest chapter in the popular film trilogy, starring Jason James Richter (FREE WILLY) as Bastian, a teenager whose life is turned upside down when his father remarries. On his first day at a new school, Bastian is chased by a vicious gang called the Nasties. He hides in the school library where he finds a magic book that writes itself according to the imagination of the reader. To escape the Nasties (and his troubles at home), Bastian wishes himself into Fantasia, the storybook's phantasmic world of incredible creatures. It's here, away from the pressures of the real world, that Bastian thinks he's safe. But when the Nasties take control of the book, his Fantasian friends get stuck on earth, and it's up to Bastian to save them. And in order to do that, he must defeat the Nasties! With great music by some of your favorite rockers, this awesome fantasy-adventure celebrates the joy of reading and the magic books create within our own imagination! ... Read more

Reviews (44)

The Most Misunderstood Story
I read the novel Neverending story and also enjoyed the first movie. The first two series of Neverending story are based on Michael Ende's masterpiece juvenile literature. This one is purely original story using the theme and characters from this book. The first movie was so successful that the very concept of the original story is left neglected. Second and third series tried to get things right only in vain. Fantasia is a creation of human mind so when we changes the story changes that is what neverending story is. Auryn is as second series nicely put it, not a magic stick. Third series is no exception. Bastian's new sister used Auryn to buy what she wanted then the side effect was their newly-wed parents are in danger of divorce. This story's not a fantasy story at all. It is more real than you imagine. It is too bad a time to make neverending story movie at all during dark 90s. Maybe this time will be more acceptable to have another series. First movie is outstanding but just be back to reality. Its theme has unending stories to make. We are part of neverending story so just let new things add to let fantasia alive.

This one really doesn't end!
I got this movie because I was a big fan of the first two, and I expected this one to be great. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. This movie should never have start production. It is geared too much toward little kids, but I doubt even little kids would be amused by it. The plot has Bastian returning to Fantasia to escape "The Nasties", which is some sort of gang. The Fantasia in this movie is very different from the one in the first two. It looks a lot less inviting, and they really screwed up all the beauty that Fantasia possessed in the first two movies. They turn the Childlike Empress into a joke, who even contemplates using the Auryn to go shopping! Michael Ende would die of shame if he were still alive. They turned his wonderful idea into one big joke. This movie should never have seen the light of day.

NOTHING LOWER THAN 1 STAR ?
Just saw this movie on WAM today 4/10/04. Can't believe that someone didn't stop production on this film EARLY in the making. What a waste. Hope to have better luck with the "Tales" series. Love the first two from the original series... stick with those. This movie lacks Heart. Don't really care that the special effects are poor in any movie that has genuine feeling. I can't imagine it taking long (possibly a week) to make this film. BOO!

BIG Dissapointment....
This movie is a dishoner not only to The Neverending Story but to Michael Ende himself. He didn't even like the original movie, imagine what he would think of this trash. This movie lacks good acting, a decent plot, decent special effects, and consistancy with the first two. The Auryn is some ugly twisted black thing that looks NOTHING like in the first two nor does it have even a SLIGHT resemblence to the one in the book. Non of the characters appear as they did in the first two, and Falkor has been turned in to a stupid scardy cat. Heck, the rock biter has a musical number and a wife with a heavy Russian accent if that gives you ANY clue as to how utterly BAD this movie is. The third installment is a shame for so many reasons. It doesn't fit the style or feel of the first two, and it also prevents there from being a 4th. What they need to do is scrap this entire movie and make a better NES 3. I will NOT be purchasing this movie in any form, I can promise you that. Stick with the original Movie, and the Tales From The Neverending Story series, those are the best we have gotten so far.

The Only Thing Good Was..........
The fact that the kick ass number 1 hit single Crash! Boom! Bang! by Roxette is played at the beginning og this film. Other than that, this film is absoultly terrible, save your money!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Kids, don't try these stunts at home." Super Dave Osborne is Evel Knievel with a lobotomy, a klutzy stunt superstar powered by guts, courage, and pure moral integrity--which makes up for a single digit I.Q. Created as the daredevil alter ego of former Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour writer and sketch performer Bob Einstein, his entire schtick is based on ambitious stunts gone horribly, and comically, wrong. He's crushed by falling objects, sent flying by exploding vehicles, and flattened by one fall after another, all with the stoic (one might say stupid) calm of a Zen masochist. Such gags were funny in the short bursts of the cable series that spawned Super Dave, but wear thin in his first feature-length comedy, a spoof involving a sleazy promoter (Dan Hedaya), the accident-prone mother of a terminally ill boy, a ranch full of mimes (!), and a climactic half-mile leap over trucks packed with dynamite and toxic waste. The juvenile comedy is played like a Saturday morning cartoon with fart jokes, big and broad, and the stunts look as phony as they are. It might tickle the funny bone of adolescents, but will hold little interest for anyone over the age of 12. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great for kids under three!
This movie is great for kids under three or amnesia victims, who don't remember what a good movie is! This movie is terribly unfunny and grossly unrealistic. The stunts are very impossible and fake, the acting and the jokes are crap. The only use for this DVD would be to use the disc as a frisbee, the booklet as toilet paper, and the case for recycling. That's the only way to get your money out of it. Don't buy this movie for any reason! It is very boring and stupid!

Great Movie For The Family
Hilarious stunts, slapstick humor, outrageous characterizations, and just good all around schtick makes this an extremely entertaining movie for the family. The people who put this movie together realize that it was not intended for a cerebral study in filmmaking; it was meant to just flat out make you laugh. My wife and kids were just howling at various scenes ranging from the stinky lunch room to the slammy whammy infomercial. We must have replayed that slammy whammy infomercial over 20 times, proving how kids can appreciate well written comedy. This movie is not for the prudes, snobs, or bores but definitely for the hip, open minded, slapstick in most of us. Watch it with the family without any hesitation.

Funny movie
This was a very funny movie, it had me rolling on the floor. Even my mom laughed a little, and she hates the movies I like. The story is Super Dave (Bob Einstien) is injured, and has to retire. But DJ (Steve Van Wormer), a kid he is training, steals his name and leaves him to work for Gil (Dan Hedaya). Well, Supe isn't going to really do anything about, but he meets a single mom (Gia Carides), whose son needs an expensive operation, and he falls in love. So the Super One decides to come out of retirement and show the world who the real greatest daredevil is. Very entertaining, and the direction is fun. The DVD could have at least had the trailer on it, though. I really wish this movie had come out in theatres, because it would have been great to see Super on the big screen. Long live Super Dave Osborne!

Super Dave's new move is great
I thought it was a great movie. Anyone who watches this film will laugh almost as much as they probably did when they watched the first Austin Powers movie. Even if you have to clue who Super Dave is, it is still a very funny movie. I can't believe that this was never released in the movie theaters. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

HILARIOUS!!!
What can one say about Mo' Money?
Only one thing:
It's awesome!! This movie again prooves that Damon is nothing like the other Wayans brothers, .... Just check out Damon's TV series, which is also hilarious, called My Wife & Kids.
Anyways, on with the movie.
I love this movie-that's all there is to it. This is an action-comedy that actually has both. Many times movies are categorized as this, but they lack in one, or both areas.
Mo' Money has everything.
Go rent it today.
No, go BUY it from amazon.com!!
Thanks for reading!!

MO' DAMON
To begin, the movie could be better than this,
but i must say Damon wayans looks good. ... he reminds me
of my old boyfriend, there are allot of funny stuff
in the movie. When damon fallows amber who's played by
stacey dash tries to get her attention she likes it but let
him suffer some more, than the part that he's waithing with his brother also his real brother by a payphone hoping he will
get the job. He did get it, and then he kissed his brother.
I loved that scene , so funny than his brother replies
he's dirty. Also i diddnt like the end its too short.
The only reason i watched the end was becouse that ...
hot,... boy played in this movie.

I wasnt surprised
I wasnt surprised that I didnt really care for this movie. The Wayan Brothers tend to be more stupid than actually funny and this movie was just as expected.

Watch this NOW!
Excellent comedy/Action movie.

POW POW! Two for One!

Very funny
Very funny movie. Damon and Marlon Wayons kick @$ ... Read more

Amazon.com

Exiled to a video-only release when its distributor balked after theflop of Jean-Claude Van Damme's previous film Knock Off, this lavish adventure deserved a chance at theatrical success. Action icon Van Damme recasts himself as a tragic romantic hero in this entertaining old-fashioned adventure with a modern sensibility. "The Muscles from Brussels" is no Brando, but he acquits himself nicely as a cocky boxer who double-crosses a Marseilles mobster and joins the French Foreign Legion when his half-baked plan backfires with tragic consequences. Surrounded by a better than usual cast (including Steven Berkoff as a Teutonic drill sergeant, Jim Carter as the ruthless ganglord, and Nicholas Farrell as a gentleman soldier with a taste for gambling and a dark past), Van Damme's dour performance sometimes gets lost in the colorful characters around him. But that's okay--there's adventure enough to go around and he's willing to share it. The Marseilles scenes evoke a quaint movie past with their smoky bars and shadowy streets, but the film is reborn as an ambitious, stoic platoon drama in the sands of French Morocco. Legionnaire alludes to classic films from Beau Geste to Casablanca to Lawrence of Arabia, but ultimately marches its own macho course, reveling in testosterone-driven heroics and bonding-under-fire while acknowledging the irony of its colonial mission ("We're the intruders," realizes one soldier). It's a calculated risk for Van Damme (who also cowrote and coproduced), but if Legionnaire never quite grasps the epic scope it's reaching for, it remains one of his best films, a handsome, exciting, and surprisingly grim desert adventure. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Impressive Mini Series
This is a wonderful movie about an anchient chinese story. The Journey To The West is a book on a scholar that travels to a different world. The movie has great effects and the characters fill the standards of the book. If you love magic and adventure this movie is good. Also if you were interested in movies like: Merlin, 10th kingdom, and Arabian Nights this movie is just what your looking for.

The Goddess of Mercy
The Lost Empire / The Monkey King is a mini series that tells the story of Nicholas Orton (Thomas Gibson) who finds himself on a save-the-world mission. The plot itself is a bit difficult to follow - it is loosely inspired by 'Journey to the West'- the famous chinese epic. However in this version, it shows us what would happen if 'Journey to the West' had never existed. Demons are trying to destroy the book (for the simple reason of that's what evil demons do with their spare time) and the world is running backwards because of it, deleting all the things that 'Journey to the West' helped inspire (which includes buildings and clocks, strangely enough). So the Goddess of Mercy, Kwan Ying (Ling Bai) travels from her world to find the prophesied Scholar from Above - our own Nick Orton. He is 'above' because all of the mythological characters he later mets live in a copy of China in one of the (very, very, very large) unexcavated tombs, under the musuem. So with the help of Kwan Ying and the famous terracotta warriors that come to life, Nick finds himself inside the tomb/copy of mythological China, faced with the sacastic Monkey King (Russell Wong) who was been trapped inside a mountain by those same demons that are out to destroy 'Journey to the West'.
As you can see, the premise is quite confusing, so if you like to sit down and get a nice, logical plot, you might want to give this one a miss, as our heroes do a lot of wandering around and your not actually sure where they're going or why.
However, if you are a fan of other Hallmark fantasy mini-series (the Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, Merlin, Arabian Nights, the 10th Kingdom, the Voyage of the Unicorn) then this is the movie for you. Like the others it boasts great special effects, great set-designs and Kwan Ying and her consort Whitesnake wear the most beautiful outfits I've seen. The lovely Ling Bai is perfectly cast as the Goddess of Mercy, and the scenes that take place in the home of the gods are wonderful. Nick and his reluctant teacher the Monkey King are good too, and get some good one-liners, and their allies Pigsy and Friar Sand should appeal to kids. The romance between Nick and Kwan Ying is nothing new, but still enjoyable to watch, and the carefully choreographed martial-art sequences are amazing.
If you are a Chinese-historian or a purist of any kind, I advise you to steer clear, as I'm sure Confucius wasn't an annoying, back-stabbing traiter as he is portrayed here, but everyone else should just sit down and enjoy the ride without being picky.

Offensive...
is exactly how this movie is to be described. I would suggest that any Chinese/Asians living anywhere in the world to avoid this movie at all cost. "Journey to the West" is a very religious story about a Buddhist monk traveling to the West to obtain the true scriptures of Buddhism... along the way, he met diciples to protect him until he gets there.

As someone has already pointed out, Quan Yin is a Buddhishiva of compassion. Buddhists don't have romantic affairs, eat meat, or drink alcohol. It's like showing a Jewish Rabbi eating pork on Friday night. It's disrespectful and sickening. I can't believe people make this kind of crap and take what is a masterpiece and trample all over it. Isn't anything sacred anymore?

What a waste of time...
Recently there has been a surge of interest in "fantasy" type films. With the huge success of "Lord of the Rings," I belive, people are exploring other movies, similar in nature. Well, if you're an adult and you're getting reacquainted with the fantasy genre, this is one to MISS. Ignore it. Keep on walking. Its really just for kids, at best. The story is predictable and it repeats itself, hour past hour. The special effects are good enough for Saturnday morning t.v. but that's about it. I suggest you look at "Arabian Nights" instead.

Racist travesty of an epic story
"Journey to the West" is a literary masterpiece which has been loved in China for nearly half a millennium. In contrast, "The Lost Empire" is a piece of meretricious rubbish which will hopefully soon be consigned to oblivion. Its makers seem to assume, rightly or wrongly, that its audience will be unable to relate to a "foreign" story unless a white guy is inserted, however incongruously, into the action. As if this were not bad enough, the idea of the "hero" comducting a romantic affair with Kuan Yin must be deeply offensive to many people of Chinese extraction. Since Kuan Yin is someimes compared, in her role as compassionate mediator, to the Virgin Mary, one can only imagine the response had the situation been reversed. This is an example of film-making at its very worst. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This three-hour made-for-television epic based on the classic Chinese story Journey to the West is an engaging mix of fantasy and martial-arts adventure, and it features a veritable tsunami of special effects. The plot involves an American China scholar (played by Thomas Gibson) whose knowledge of Asian mythology becomes astoundingly useful when he is magically transported into other dimensions by terra cotta warriors who come to life. The American scholar soon finds himself face to face with a wisecracking Monkey King (Russell Wong), a mystical warrior whose martial-arts skills are matched only by his sarcastic one-liners. The mismatched heroes have only three days to find an ancient manuscript and thereby save the world from destruction, and they're assisted by the timely interventions of the Goddess of Mercy (played by Bai Ling). The rambling plot puts the characters into confrontations with tigers, dragons, and evil giants, and at times they're joined by such unorthodox allies as a human with the head of a pig. As his quest progresses, the scholar has to learn to think like a warrior, and there are innumerable obstacles put in his path. Even if the plot doesn't always seem terribly coherent, the computer-generated special effects are entertaining, and the film has no shortage of bizarre villains, flashy martial-arts scenes, and sardonic quips from the Monkey King.--Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Impressive Mini Series
This is a wonderful movie about an anchient chinese story. The Journey To The West is a book on a scholar that travels to a different world. The movie has great effects and the characters fill the standards of the book. If you love magic and adventure this movie is good. Also if you were interested in movies like: Merlin, 10th kingdom, and Arabian Nights this movie is just what your looking for.

The Goddess of Mercy
The Lost Empire / The Monkey King is a mini series that tells the story of Nicholas Orton (Thomas Gibson) who finds himself on a save-the-world mission. The plot itself is a bit difficult to follow - it is loosely inspired by 'Journey to the West'- the famous chinese epic. However in this version, it shows us what would happen if 'Journey to the West' had never existed. Demons are trying to destroy the book (for the simple reason of that's what evil demons do with their spare time) and the world is running backwards because of it, deleting all the things that 'Journey to the West' helped inspire (which includes buildings and clocks, strangely enough). So the Goddess of Mercy, Kwan Ying (Ling Bai) travels from her world to find the prophesied Scholar from Above - our own Nick Orton. He is 'above' because all of the mythological characters he later mets live in a copy of China in one of the (very, very, very large) unexcavated tombs, under the musuem. So with the help of Kwan Ying and the famous terracotta warriors that come to life, Nick finds himself inside the tomb/copy of mythological China, faced with the sacastic Monkey King (Russell Wong) who was been trapped inside a mountain by those same demons that are out to destroy 'Journey to the West'.
As you can see, the premise is quite confusing, so if you like to sit down and get a nice, logical plot, you might want to give this one a miss, as our heroes do a lot of wandering around and your not actually sure where they're going or why.
However, if you are a fan of other Hallmark fantasy mini-series (the Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, Merlin, Arabian Nights, the 10th Kingdom, the Voyage of the Unicorn) then this is the movie for you. Like the others it boasts great special effects, great set-designs and Kwan Ying and her consort Whitesnake wear the most beautiful outfits I've seen. The lovely Ling Bai is perfectly cast as the Goddess of Mercy, and the scenes that take place in the home of the gods are wonderful. Nick and his reluctant teacher the Monkey King are good too, and get some good one-liners, and their allies Pigsy and Friar Sand should appeal to kids. The romance between Nick and Kwan Ying is nothing new, but still enjoyable to watch, and the carefully choreographed martial-art sequences are amazing.
If you are a Chinese-historian or a purist of any kind, I advise you to steer clear, as I'm sure Confucius wasn't an annoying, back-stabbing traiter as he is portrayed here, but everyone else should just sit down and enjoy the ride without being picky.

Offensive...
is exactly how this movie is to be described. I would suggest that any Chinese/Asians living anywhere in the world to avoid this movie at all cost. "Journey to the West" is a very religious story about a Buddhist monk traveling to the West to obtain the true scriptures of Buddhism... along the way, he met diciples to protect him until he gets there.

As someone has already pointed out, Quan Yin is a Buddhishiva of compassion. Buddhists don't have romantic affairs, eat meat, or drink alcohol. It's like showing a Jewish Rabbi eating pork on Friday night. It's disrespectful and sickening. I can't believe people make this kind of crap and take what is a masterpiece and trample all over it. Isn't anything sacred anymore?

What a waste of time...
Recently there has been a surge of interest in "fantasy" type films. With the huge success of "Lord of the Rings," I belive, people are exploring other movies, similar in nature. Well, if you're an adult and you're getting reacquainted with the fantasy genre, this is one to MISS. Ignore it. Keep on walking. Its really just for kids, at best. The story is predictable and it repeats itself, hour past hour. The special effects are good enough for Saturnday morning t.v. but that's about it. I suggest you look at "Arabian Nights" instead.

Racist travesty of an epic story
"Journey to the West" is a literary masterpiece which has been loved in China for nearly half a millennium. In contrast, "The Lost Empire" is a piece of meretricious rubbish which will hopefully soon be consigned to oblivion. Its makers seem to assume, rightly or wrongly, that its audience will be unable to relate to a "foreign" story unless a white guy is inserted, however incongruously, into the action. As if this were not bad enough, the idea of the "hero" comducting a romantic affair with Kuan Yin must be deeply offensive to many people of Chinese extraction. Since Kuan Yin is someimes compared, in her role as compassionate mediator, to the Virgin Mary, one can only imagine the response had the situation been reversed. This is an example of film-making at its very worst. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A moving and touching film, with plenty of action
Van Damme scores big in this movie. Finally he has picked a movie with a decent supporting cast and a good story. Unlike previous films, Van Damme's kickboxing and martial arts skills are blended nicely with real life situations and drama. This movie deserved a theatrical release, the action is tasteful and the movie has a quick but meaningful pace. Some of the characters have some tired dialogue about being presecuted, but that aside the actors fit their roles. Overall the movie ranks among one of Van Dammes better emotional roles. Lionheart has the same tug on the heart strings, as well as the Legionaire angle.

It's not Beau Geste, but . . .
. . . it was not intended to be.

I like movies about the French Foreign Legion. I like this movie.

All of the stock-characters and stereotypes are here, and the plot is as old as . . . well . . . as old as movies about the Legion!

Van Damme is, of course, the recruit seeking escape in the Legion from enemies on civvy-street. It is that preliminary background that rather drags ("Yes, yes, he's on the run . . . get on with it!"). The training stage in Africa is not particularly well done, either. But once the "bleus" get marching to that far-away, isolated fort-- and the Rifs-- the action picks up.

A number of reviewers do not like this film because it is not a martial arts film. That's their prerogative. But this was not billed as a "Van Damme martial arts film," so I think their criticism unfair.

Van Damme actually does some acting, here, and he is more at home in a besieged fort or boxing ring than in a night-club or romancing the "female interest" character. It's not high-art, but it's entertaining, so pass the wine ration and quit your grumbling!

A "Beau Geste" for the Modern Era
I grew up watching "Beau Geste" (which is a film which deserves to be on DVD)and all other films about the French Foreign Legion fall or rise to that film's greatness. That being so, "Legionnaire" stands as a solid drama of the men who join the legion to forget their past lives and to rebuild new ones--if they survive. The film is well-crafted and the wide-screen format is perfect in bringing the viewer the feel of the desert--its vastness, its heat, and its beauty. The film's action scenes are sensational and the final battles are both memorable and brutal. Jean-Claude Van Damme proves he is more than just a good body or fighting machine--he does some fine acting in this film. One wishes that it could be seen on the large screen--it deserves it.

Good,but its not like his other movies
I went the store and i saw this movie on the counter and they had Van Damnes pic on it so i got it,i watched it,I wasnt pleased,i mean the movie was excellent,but where in the hell is Van Damnes high flying kicks,I am like a huge fan of Van Damne.This is like the only movie i didnt see him do his fancy kicks.This movie is worth watching,but if u wanna see his kicks dont get this one.

good old fashion storey
great to see jean claude in a non-martial arts movie, not a oscar winner by any mean, but a good storey , up dated by modern advances in photography, see it, and see history, the way it was.. ... Read more