Written by Kiara Co
At this point, we often see many of our childhood cartoon favourites turned into live-action films. Now, a well-known television series for children has turned into live-action film on the big screen. Dora the Explorer turns into Dora and the Lost City of Gold, with Isabela Moner starring as Dora!
The movie itself was quite surprising and the trailer didn’t do the movie justice. It seemed so boring and plain disappointing to the generation who watched the children’s show.
The movie referred back to the series and at the beginning, it had the same introduction as the children’s show with the Dora the Explorer theme song, along with introducing Dora, Boots, the map, and backpack! The opening of this movie started off quite good with young Dora (Madelyn Miranda) and Diego playing adventure games.
For a live-action movie that was based on a children’s show, the acting was better than expected. Isabela Moner as teenage Dora suited her and she performed the role very well and had the same Dora presence. Isabel also sounded a lot like the cartoon Dora. The other well-known characters like Diego (Jeff Wahlberg), Dora’s parents (Michael Pena & Eva Longoria), and the grandma/abuelita (Adriana Barazza) were also great. However, Diego seems a little miscast. Dora mentions Diego has gotten so much skinnier, but still, he doesn’t feel like Diego. Diego should’ve been like a male Dora in terms of personality.
Sadly, Swiper didn’t have much of an appearance, Boots wasn’t as cute in the movie, and the backpack and map only spoke once, which was at the beginning of the film. It makes no sense how it didn’t continue. Like, what was the point?
Although there other characters, such as the classmates who were at the trip or adventure, you don’t really care. You don’t bother to pay attention to what’s going on. In general, it was quite difficult to watch and try to find the characters interesting enough.
As for the ending, it was too cheesy and also childish, but that was probably the intention since this movie is still categorised as a children’s movie. At the end, Dora, Diego, and the other classmates/friends are dancing at the gym and singing, just like pretty much like every Dora episode or any sort of children’s entertainment.
While watching this movie, there wasn’t much nostalgia. It felt so different and out of place. The movie wasn’t bad, but the plot of the story could’ve been a different adventure instead, much more suited to the vibe of Dora the Explorer, even if Dora in this movie is a teen. Dora and the Lost City of Gold is like a younger version of Jumanji.
This movie was not bad, but it definitely could’ve been better. This live-action movie was about the same quality as the recent Kim Possible live-action. However, Dora and the Lost City of Gold is not a total waste, but it shouldn’t have been a theatrical release. It should’ve been put on the Nickelodeon channel just like the Christmas special for Fairly Odd Parents that came out years ago.
It’s quite odd for a movie like this because you can’t tell exactly know what kind of audience it’s trying to target. Is it the people who used to watch Dora? Even though it’s not the same and may come across as completely different and underwhelming. Or possibly the children of today’s generation, but kids nowadays may not be as aware of the popular cartoon show.
If you really loved Dora the Explorer as a child, it’s not a fairly bad experience to watch, but don’t set your expectations too high!
