Movie Review: Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Dora and the Lost City of Gold *** / *****

Directed by: James Bobin.

Written by: Matthew Robinson and Nicholas Stoller and Thom Wheeler based on the series created by Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh and Eric Weiner.

Starring: Isabela Moner (Dora), Jeffrey Wahlberg (Diego), Nicholas Coombe (Randy), Madeleine Madden (Sammy), Eugenio Derbez (Alejandro Gutierrez), Eva Longoria (Elena), Michael Peña (Cole), Temuera Morrison (Powell), Danny Trejo (Boots the Monkey - voice), Benicio Del Toro (Swiper the Fox - voice).

 

In general, I take my girls (8 and 5) to see every kid’s movie that comes out – regardless of whether it’s going to be bad or not. I would like them to get into the habit of going to the movies – of watching them in a theater with an audience, and not just on special occasions, but on a regular basis. And dear reader, let me tell you, even I was planning on skipping Dora and the Lost City of Gold. We were never a Dora household when the kids were in that target age range – my wife found Dora to be incredibly creepy (she ain’t wrong) – and I just kind of assumed that my daughters would therefore not care, and not notice we didn’t go. And then they both came to me begging to go. So how could I say now? I wasn’t looking forward to watching the film – I figured I’d suffer through 100 minutes, and then go home. But you know something – the film wasn’t half bad – not at all. It’s smart and funny – knowingly playing with the inherent creepiness of Dora, without going crude or cruel. And it’s aimed at slightly older kids – those who grew up with Dora, and are still kids, but probably don’t watch Dora anymore – even if there is still some affection for her down deep. I’m not suggesting that you run out and see the film even if you don’t have kids – or even to catch it on Netflix in 6 months without kids. It’s not a Pixar movie that adults can get as much out of as kids. But I am saying that if you’re a parent, stuck watching Dora and the Lost City of Gold, you will have fun.

 

The film was directed by James Bobin and co-written by Nicholas Stoller – who combined to make the two most recent big screen adventures of the Muppets in 2011 and 2014. Both of those films were fun Muppet movies, and at the same time mocked the very idea of Muppet movies – but in a sweet, respectful way. They basically do the same thing with Dora – almost immediately mocking the idea of having a talking backpack and map, as well as Dora staring directly into the camera and asking us in the audience to say “delicioso” – to the confused reaction of her parents, who hope she’ll grow out of this stage eventually. There are also jokes about why Swiper – her arch nemesis, a fox who steals things, who need a mask – because who would recognize some random fox. There is even an animated sequence – where Dora and company become the version we know so well – but is the result of them being drugged.

 

But this is not, repeat not, an adult version of Dora – meant to simply mock the strangeness of cartoons aimed at preschoolers. It keeps the spirit of Dora the same. This is carried off wonderfully by star Isabela Moner – who is 18, and playing slightly younger than that. She plays Dora as a bright, cheerful home schooled dork – who has spent most of her life in the jungle with her Professor parents, and then finds herself in public school in L.A. alongside her more street-smart cousin, Diego. Dora is always herself – her cheerful, annoying self – smiling, singing and dancing her way through school, no matter how much she is mocked. Eventually, she will end up back in the jungle – alongside Diego and two other classmates searching for her parents, and as the title indicates, a lost city of gold. Moner is a delight throughout this movie – so very optimistic from beginning to end, and even if you chuckle when the bad guy says her relentless cheeriness drives him insane, you have to admit that Moner plays it well.

 

Basically, the film works on its own very modest terms. It’s fun and cheerful – full of songs and adventure. It basically decides to make Dora into a TV girl version of Indiana Jones, and include songs about poop along the way. It will delight children – and audiences watching alongside them, you’ll be surprised that you are entertained. If happiness is based on expectations, then Dora made me extremely happy because it so far exceeded my very low expectations.