NeverEnding Story II - Anyone Else Majorly Disappointed? (GenX Rant)

Okay, so I finally got around to watching The NeverEnding Story II. I know, I know, I'm late to the party. But honestly, after the first one, I wasn't exactly rushing. The original was lightning in a bottle, right? Falkor was the coolest dog-dragon ever, and the Nothing was genuinely freaky. It had that Spielberg-esque vibe, even though Spielberg wasn't involved, if you get my drift. Remember Artax sinking in the Swamps of Sadness? Traumatized a whole generation, I swear! But this sequel... woof. Anyone else feel like they completely missed the point of the first movie? Bastian's character felt... off. The whole thing with the Memory Medallion and losing his memories every time he made a wish just felt like a lazy plot device to create artificial conflict. And Xayide? Seriously? Where's the existential dread of a force of nothingness slowly consuming everything? She was just a standard-issue, cackling sorceress. Felt like something out of a cheap Saturday morning cartoon, not the fantastical realm I remember. The special effects were... well, they were definitely 1990. But even considering the time period, they felt cheaper than the original. Did they blow the budget on something else? Honestly, the rockbiter looked like a grumpy muppet, and the whole atmosphere just felt... sterile. So, am I alone here? Did anyone else find The NeverEnding Story II a major letdown, or am I just clinging to my childhood memories of the first one? I'm not saying it's the worst movie ever made, but it definitely doesn't hold a candle to the OG. Maybe I'm just getting old? Hit me with your thoughts!