Review Summary: Way better than it could have been, though not quite a great movie either.
In the remake and reboot renaissance, Paramount and Nickelodeon are trying their luck with this aged-up version of their preschool hit Dora the Explorer. At first (especially with the trailers), you might would think this to be a terrible idea. How do you turn a character that breaks the fourth wall all the time and teaches kids Spanish into a live-action feature? As someone who was in kindergarten at the time Dora made her debut, I also feared for the worst.
Yet, the film's creative team could have been much much worse. Director James Bobin and screenwriter Nicholas Stoller were able to successfully revitalize another family franchise earlier this decade (they directed and wrote the two recent Muppet movies). Those movies stand as some of my favorites from recent years, as this duo brought that series into the modern age while remaining incredibly respectful to the source material.
Which...to a lesser extent, is what they also have accomplished here. This Dora may be much older, but the feel and overall enthusiasm of the character and the TV show is remarkably still present. Yes, the film does mock some typical Dora-isms (like breaking the fourth wall), but its' done in a way that doesn't ever go too far. The self-aware humor is often quite funny, with plenty of solid jabs at the show and similar explorer movies from the past. At the same time, the film also wisely doesn't make Dora edgy for a modern audience either, which I found to be a major relief.
As Dora herself, I can't imagine anyone else playing her now than Ms. Isabella Moner. She perfectly captures Dora's enthusiasm, joyful spirit and innocent persona. She is an absolute joy to watch onscreen, and even has a decent singing voice to go along with it. You can tell that she knows the character. I'd be happy to see another adventure with her as the character anytime.
The rest of the cast is pretty good too. Michael Pena and Eva Longoria look like they are having lots of fun as Dora's parents, and they really do a nice job. The other teenagers are solid too, with appreciable amounts of depth. On the downside, however, Eugenio Derbez (Miracles from Heaven) is way too over the top as the group's guide. He feels like an overly-cartoony character that really could have been toned down a bit.
As for Boots, he's realized very nicely here. Danny Trejo is credited as his voice, but Trejo only speaks for about one minute total for the character. Otherwise, his character works well. However, I have to say, who thought casting Benicio del Toro as Swiper was a good idea? He's nothing like the original Swiper. And Swiper himself here is given a bit too much of a tough upgrade. He's still goofy, but he could have been made to look a bit less intimidating.
I already discussed this a bit, but there are several references to the original series that are nicely-placed. However, there is one scene in particular (I won't spoil it) that gives a huge nod to the style of the show, and is perhaps the film's most memorable moment (well, with one overly-done joke at the start of the scene aside). Several other characters from the show briefly appear in a few moments as well.
The film's last third does take a more perilous turn, which is both a pro and a con. As far as the upside goes, it makes for some very entertaining (if formulaic) action scenes. On the downside, however, the scenes are a bit too intense and over-the-top at times, especially considering the target age demographic. Yes, its' in line with the PG rating. But, for me, it just seemed too much at times for a movie about well, Dora the Explorer. Some preschoolers and kindergarteners (who may be streaming the original series at home) might find some of these scenes too scary. John Debney's score is also overdone at times.
The film's script also goes in a couple of silly and somewhat annoying directions. There's an unnecessarily drawn-out scene about a friend of Dora's needing to use the bathroom in the jungle (and yes, there's a song included). And, a couple of other jokes overstay their welcome as well. While these don't break the film, they do lessen the film's overall more enjoyable vibe.
However, Dora and the Lost City of Gold is one of those cases where the final film is still way better than it ever had the right to be. It's entertaining, fun, and a little touching at times too. It also has its' moments where it smilingly hearkens back to yesteryear family adventures. Yes, its' silly, mindless, overlong and overdone sometimes too, but thankfully, it doesn't detract from the overall ride as much as it could have.
My Score: 7.2/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing....
Rating: PG (for action and some impolite humor)
Recommended age range: 6 or 7 year olds and up. (based on child's sensitivity level)
Language: Two uses of "oh my g**", an unfinished "what the...?", and two uses of "freakin'".
Adult Content: Dora notices Diego has a crush on the other girl (Sammy) on the trip. Dora says that perilous adventures often "speed up the mating process", to Diego's immediate embarrassment. "Mating" is mentioned again later between two scorpions fighting it out. We see Diego and Sammy kiss later on. One character strips off his clothes in an animated sequence, and we see his bare rear for a split moment.
Violence: Dora attempts to jump a chasm a couple of times, with her falling and getting somewhat hurt both times. Booby traps at Parapata (the lost city of gold) involve firing arrows and other artillery shot in their direction. Someone thinks hes been shot and bleeding (but it actually hit his juice box). A group of rampaging elephants charge after Dora and Boots. Characters are shown falling at high speed towards spikes, nearly drown in a water-filled room, nearly drown in quicksand, and nearly fall into a lava pit. Randy is bullied at school. Someone is knocked out with a yoyo. Captors threaten Dora and her family. Two characters are paralyzed by a poisonous frog. Dora kicks a character into a wall. Other slapstick situations courtesy of Boots and Swiper. An intense storm causes an entire ancient city to nearly fall to ruin.
Drugs/Alcohol: Sleeping gas and hallucinogenic pollen are implied, but nothing else of note.
Other: As mentioned earlier, Sammy is shown to need to use the restroom. Dora gets out a shovel and comes up with a song to try and help her through it. We later see her squatting (we see her from the waist up) singing the song to herself before having to pull her pants up in the midst of a skirmage. Stepping in mud causes farting sounds to occur, which leads to a handful of similar jokes from the characters. Elsewhere, someone vomits. Someone thinks they may have contracted dysentery. Someone eats a moldy candy bar. Swiper swipes things. Parapata has some spiritual leanings too, including an appearance by someone who appears to be an Incan deity in disguise (along with somewhat ageless warriors). In order to get into the lost city, it is said an offering is to be made "to the gods" (which turns out to be water). Someone apparently says they "angered the gods" when a violent storm turns up.
