Dora and the Lost City of Gold Review

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (Rated PG)

(Video Review)

Hands up if you thought this movie's only chance of being entertaining, was how bad it was going to be, and how amusing it would be to see it fall flat on its face. Well, I most certainly did, I settled in to watch this dumpster fire and then, to my surprise, I ended up genuinely loving this wacky, silly and hysterical film, and I'm not even a Dora fan, nor am I a small and easily entertained child, I'm a grown man, that loves The Shawshank Redemption and fell in love with this adorable adventure.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold, starts with an opening sequence which shows how the cartoon was all a product of Dora's active imagination, which allows for some quick fanservice, I also loved the joke where little Dora turns to talk to the audience as she would in the show, and her parents are like, uhh, who in the blazes are you talking to? Which brings me to the best aspect of the film, how self-aware it is, I honestly had no clue how this franchise would work in live-action, but life, as they say, it, uh, finds a way.

The story quickly moves from Dora's childhood to her teenage years, and this is when her family gives her the news that she will be heading to the states for a normal school experience, while they go off in search of a lost city of gold, with a Latin name that I would horribly mispronounce, so I'm not even going to try, can you say, lazy white guy? Once Dora is in America, the contrast of her plucky, happy and overly optimistic personality with normal teenagers, including her cousin Diego, gives the film a kind of charm I was not expecting. The type of humor is also something I was not expecting, the humor is kid-friendly, but not in that off-putting kind of way, it reminds of me the types of comedies you would see in the '80s and '90s, that manages to tread a fine line between silly, stupid and clever wit that is rarely seen anymore. 

Dora is extremely earnest and a bit socially awkward, which makes sense given that she grew up in the jungle with only a CGI monkey for a friend, which makes her transition to a High School in LA an incredibly hilarious one, she introduces herself to everyone, she treats everyone equally, and is the kind of person that is instantly singled out to be bullied mercilessly. However, Dora does not let this get her down, at least not until the one human she used to count as a friend, takes a giant poo on her spirt, I'm sure being taken for a ride on the outside of the school bus didn't help either. 

It is not long before the film switches gears, and whisks Dora, Diego and two of her school mates off to the jungle, where they must find her parents, who got lost while searching for the lost city of gold, talk about irony right? Now, Dora is in her element, but, she also must find a way to connect to her newfound buddies to save her family and discover more about herself. Which does sound as cheesy as a slice of za from Costco, yet, when paired with enthusiastic performances, passionate direction and a script that feels inspired not only by a love for the show, but adoration for adventure films and games, makes a film that should only appeal to small kids, somehow become a genuine treasure for all. 

Seriously, I know that was cheesy enough to give Grandma a heart attack, but, the film really is something special, it manages to poke fun at the earnest nature of the cartoon, while simultaneously celebrating it. The film is never cynical, and is very much about discovering the joy in life, and finding a way to never let the cynics ruin your sense of wonder, happiness, and individualism. I am sure a number of you just threw up at that sentiment, but, honestly, the world could use more fun, more cheese, and more silly laughter, we are all far too cynical and serious these days.

Can you say, remove the stick from your bum bum? I am sure those who act like feminine cleaning products, will hate this film regardless of how good it is, but, I am also sure those who grew up loving films like Good Burger and all the classic shows on Nickelodeon will adore this film for exactly what it is, the best Nick adaptation since Good Burger. Those who love games like Uncharted, Tomb Raider and films like Indiana Jones and The Goonies will also get a pretty big kick out the adventurous atmosphere and notice some great homages as well, if you give it a chance, you will be pretty surprised by its unexpected quality.

It may sound like I'm rubbing the film in its no-no place, but, the film really is that good, in fact, it was one of the most fun film experiences I've had with a recent release. Everything does not have to be serious and dower, there is no reason why a film should be ignored because it has something positive to say, or because it indulges in silly humor. Children do not judge things as harshly as adults do, and that is why it is so fun to be a kid, and sometimes movies like this can remind you of that kind of fun, that is of course if you let it. If you are on the fence, find some special green herbs, ignite them, and settle in for a fun evening.