It’s Indiana Jones meets High School Musical as the lovable preschool character makes a big leap to the big screen and even bigger leap to high school.
Starring “Instant Family’s” Isabela Moner, the young actress has some big white sneakers to fill as the role of the bilingual toddler that many have watched on Nickelodeon through the early 2000’s and ultimately Moner doesn’t disappoint. From the first moment on the screen, one is drawn into her fast paced world of exploring and adventure as she and her cousin Diego ( played by Jeffrey Wehlberg) pick up where they left off in the jungle as they get swept into an all new adventure that of high school.
High school isn’t what Dora thinks though as she is told to be herself, which ultimately deems her as the weird and yet insanely smart girl, which gives the current honor student even more ammunition to hate. At the same time, Dora befriends the class dweeb, which as turn would have it, all four including her super cool cousin, Diego, are forced to work together on a class field trip that ends up taking them way back to Dora’s roots in a mission to find her parents who are currently searching for the lost city of gold.
Complete at an hour 40 minute run time, Dora and the Lost City of Gold is Nickelodeon’s live action version of High School Musical as the iconic songs including the “Backpack song” as well as the traditional “Dora the Explorer” theme is sung throughout giving the audience something to sing to if they want. The other thing that the live action does a great job is “breaking the third wall”, which is common in the animated series where Dora used her bilingual dialogue to teach young children. Finally, the live action version, also pays homage to the animated series by doing a short “dream type” scene where the actors become animated and Dora’s objects come to life.
Overall, Nickelodeon Studios, who was responsible for the both the animated series from 2000 as well as the latest blockbuster, did an exceptional job. They brought the story to life with actors including Eva Longoria and Michael Pena, as Dora’s parents, while staying true to the heart of Dora the Explorer.
Dora and the Lost City of Gold came out in theaters August 9, 2019 and is currently playing in a theater near you. See it, even if you’ve never had an interest in the cartoon, because the film will definitely surprise you in a good way.