So there’s a live action Dora the Explorer movie at the theaters now called Dora and the Lost City of Gold. And I went to see it, oddly enough, given that about all I know about Dora is that it was a kid’s educational show on Nickelodeon. That and Kevin Smith did a bit about it on one of his stage talks and that’s how I know anything about “Swiper no swiping”, Boots, and “can you say….” So why not go see it? I’m totally in the target demo!
This is a live action Dora starring an older teen version of the character. She’s grown up in the jungle with her explorer (not treasure hunter) mom and dad played by Eva Longoria and Michel Pena. Dora is played by Isabela Moner, fresh off her in-your-face (yet weirdly inconsequential) turn in Transformers: The Last Knight. Here she plays Dora as a chipper, wide-eyed, smart, fish-out-of-water. She’s been sent to high school “in the city” where she decided to study the natives in their natural environment (and avoid getting bullied). Soon she and her classmates are kidnapped by mercenaries and returned to “the jungle” in order to find her parents and ultimately a lost Inca city.
So not sure how much of this adventure plot relates to the original show… but the tone of the movie is gently mocking. Dora, for example, spots a poisonous frog and then says, “Can you say extreme neuro-toxicity” while staring intently at the camera. Yes… this Dora might just be a little insane… certainly she’s ruthlessly optimistic and happy. And smart… there’s a real focus on her intelligence and ability to solve “jungle puzzles”. I suspect that that’s a nod to the show’s educational content… even though you won’t learn much in this flick.
This is a sometimes surprisingly funny little junior version of an Indiana Jones jungle adventure. It’s ultimately harmless even while being slightly unimpressive production-wise. The cast all seem to be having fun and are in on the joke. I’m not sure the flick is respectful of the cartoon… I suspect it’s not in that Brady Bunch movie sort of way. And I know I’m hardly the target audience having no nostalgia or kids to draw me to it. But, yeah, it’s a harmless fluffy bit of moderate fun.
So… should you see Dora and the Lost City of Gold? Maybe not… not unless you grew up with the character and aren’t too old for a live action family adventure. Or have a kid who really wants to see it… you could pick a worse movie.
Score: 76