'Lost City of Gold' Gives Dora’s Adventures the Big-Screen Treatment
Can YOU say “fantástico?” The live-action feature adaptation of the animated “Dora the Explorer” series is just that – fantastic. Featuring tons of laugh-out-loud moments and big adventures, this new tale featuring the cherished multi-lingual heroine is entertaining and engaging for families and audiences of all ages!
The adorable 7-year-old bilingual Dora was first introduced to audiences 19 years ago. Since then, the pint-sized adventurer has brought generations of kids on her adventures, showcasing the power of positivity and enthusiasm along the way. And this cinematic reboot is no different, except Dora is now a 16-year-old dealing with typical teen issues.
Living in the jungles of Peru with her professor parents, Dora spends her idyllic, home-schooled days exploring the South American terrain. But when her parents leave to search for a lost Incan city, they send Dora to live with her cousin Diego and his parents in Los Angeles. Entering public school for the first time, Dora faces new threats as she acclimates to her new social climate. But it’s not long before she and a ragtag group of friends are kidnapped by treasure-hunters that bring her back to the Amazon jungle to help them find her parents and the mysterious ancient city.
“It's so joyful and confident in its own premise that it practically dares you not to walk out of the theater with a smile on your face, strutting like a peacock.” San Francisco Chronicle
When “Dora the Explorer” premiered in 2000, Dora became the first animated Latina character in a leading role. And, after 19 years on air, the animated series holds the record for the longest-running American TV show featuring Spanish-speaking characters. The film was recognized for not white-washing the Latinx trailblazing heroine and keeping the cultural significance of the bilingual series alive with its diverse cast – helmed by Isabel Moner.
Chosen to fill Dora’s legendary orange shorts, Moner received rave reviews from critics for her spot-on interpretation of the beloved protagonist. TheWrap wrote: “The biggest challenge of an actor in any live-action update of an animated character is to make an audience that is already loyal to the original fall in love with a newer rendition. And that’s exactly what Moner does; her Dora has the DNA of everything that made the original so special while offering a fresh take for newer generations experiencing the character for the first time. She captures Dora’s wide-eyed innocence with aplomb while also allowing her to be just a teenager.” The film as a whole also received positive reviews, with a current 82 percent Certified Fresh Rotten Tomato’s score.
Directed by 11-time Emmy nominee James Bobin, the film featured an international cast including Latin American superstar Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Eva Longoria, Jeff Wahlberg, Nicolas Coombe and two of Mexican cinema’s most acclaimed actresses: Isela Vega and Academy Award nominee Adriana Barraza. Benicio del Toro lent his voice talent to the film as the renowned masked fox Swiper.
Wondering if the film is appropriate for your audience? Common Sense Media labeled it as good for ages eight and up, saying the film has positive themes of “teamwork, communication, compassion, courage, curiosity, and perseverance.”
Catch “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” in theaters now and available from Swank this fall.