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 The Road to El Dorado :: 0783247605
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| In its third foray into animated features, DreamWorks came up with something unfortunate: the routine animated picture. Plagued with production problems (it was originally conceived as a mold-breaking PG-13 adventure), the likable film is a Hope/Crosby-style road picture about two scalawags who stumble upon the Latin American paradise of El Dorado, the mythical city with riches of gold. Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline are quite fun as Miguel and Tuilo, two Spanish con artists who are shipwrecked in the New World with a scene-stealing horse. The pair follow a map to the secret city where their loyalty will be tested: do they return home rich men or continue to live in this paradise? Of course there are some obstacles: a high priest (Armand Assante) is locked in a power struggle with the benevolent chief (Edward James Olmos) and the perfunctory girlfriend (Rosie Perez) puts the two friends at odds. Like too many of the animated features of its time, The Road to El Dorado impresses only on a visual level (it's drenched in gorgeous greens and golds). The story and Elton John's songs are quite forgettable; only Branagh and Kline's playful banter keeps the film alive. The PG rating is for some bare backsides and a suggestion of off-screen sex that should soar right over the little ones' heads. Slick and light, it's a fine 83-minute entertainment for ages 5 and up, including the nondiscriminating adult. --Doug Thomas Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
I took my kids to see it and they liked it. They had also liked Cats Don't Dance which I hated but found superior to this film.
Other than some dazzling visual effects, this movie was painful to watch. The movie was flawed. It looked like it only took them a day to get from Spain to South America. Tulio and Miguel swindle a treasure map and then end up on the same boat with their victims. How come the map is not taken back from them when they are imprisioned? How do they happen to wind up in the exact starting point of the map when they land? Whatever happened to the guy that originally drew the map? How do Miguel and Tulio make a volcano erupt and then stop? (It wasn't clear if it was the Shaman that made this happen).
I thought Cortez went to Mexico. What is he doing in South America.
The street-wise Rosie Perez character with her Bronx lingo accent was totally out of place as a Mayan girl.
This had probably the worst Elton John Music I ever heard. As soon as I left the theater the music was quickly forgotten. The movie didn't even have a catchy closing tune.
If you need to take the kids to this one, pay a baby-sitter to take them.
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Author: Guest
DreamWorks did a great job on The Road to El Dorado. The cartoon plays like an old Bob Hope Bing Crosby Road comedy. The story follows two con men on their quest to the legendary El Dorado City of gold. Through a series of hilarious mishaps, they find the city and become worshiped by the people. Helping them in on the con is Chel, an attractive native who wants to go to Spain with our duo. In the end they do the right thing and protect the city but lose the gold.
Road to El Dorado is a little more adult than most animated movies, but that's a good thing. American animation really needs to grow up if hand drawn animation is to survive in a world where computer animated characters are becoming the norm. Hand drawn animation needs more stories like this, not less. Japanese animation is full of adult situations, and violence. The Simpsons and Family Guy can depict adult situations, on TV then why not a feature length movie.
The music is great, the hand drawn animation and CGI blend beautifully and Elton John and Tim Rice's songs are perfect. Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline have great chemistry in their voice-over performances, perhaps they could do a live action "Road". Rosie Perez is great as Chel I really wish Road to El Dorado did better at the box office the ending had me wanting a sequel. I want to see Miguel, Tulio, Chel and Altivo the horse on their return journey to the city of gold.
Hear me Dream Works! I want a sequel.
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Author: Guest
This movie is one of the favorites of my 7-year-old son. Kelvin Kline and KenNeth Branagh play Tulio and Miguel who are Spanish con-artists who come across the map to the treasure of El Dorado. Together, they go out on an adventure much like Bing Cosby and Bob Hope.
There is a lot to see in this movie. The value of friendship is what stands out the most, but there are other things
The movie is funny, especially the constant bickering between Tulio and Miguel. Even funny is the horse, Altivo, who does not have a line but has some of the greatest reactions to the events unfolding before him.
This movie has some great music by Elton John that both my son and I enjoy. This would be a good soundtrack to pick up.
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Author: Guest
As a MAJOR Disney fan from early on, I must say that I viewed this film with only moderate expectations. However, it delivered beautifully! For the most part, I've never cared a whole lot for the musical aspects of Disney-- and other children's-- films, but I have to say, I prefer Elton John's songs in this movie to Phil Collins' in Tarzan any day. I really enjoy "It's Tough to be a God" (sung by Miguel and Tulio) also, and that's rare, because as I said, I'm not big on songs in my movies. But this sequence is playful, colorful, and fun, with a great beat-- and you can dance to it!
I do take issue with the baring of the bottoms in one scene, and there were 2 or 3 cuss words in the film (mild ones, mind you) that I felt were unnecessary in a children's movie. Other reveiwers have pointed out the "suggested sex" scene, but I only viewed it as an off-camera make-out session, nothing more. Both characters were fully clothed, if not a little rumpled, and I see no reason to feel they were doing more.
I bought this movie for my niece, who is 6 years old now. She loves the movie now, but was very frightened by the Jaguar sequence when she was younger (3 or 4), and wouldn't watch the movie for a long time after the first viewing because of it. However, as an adult, I found the movie highly entertaining; Miguel and Tulio are a lot of fun, and I've even come around to Rosie Perez (Chel) thanks to this movie. At least in small doses. Chel was funny here, though, as was the banter between the two main characters (fantastic work by Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline). Fabulous voice work by everyone else as well (Armand Assante and Edward James Olmos were great!).
When it came out, this movie was up against The Emperor's New Groove. In my mind, this blows The Emperor out of the water, though that movie was enjoyable enough (rather cartoony for a Disney feature, but it got better on the second viewing).
In closing, The Road to El Dorado is gorgeous, funny, and entertaining, and I highly recommend it-- at least for those over 4 or 5 years of age. I believe Dreamworks really gave Disney a run for their money on this one.
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Author: Guest
There are loads of underlying adult themes even though the overall moral of the story is excellent for children to learn about. There is a sexual scene, though not graphic, but I wouldn't want my children seeing it, especially in the light that it is portrayed in. There are scenes of drunken partying, the resulting hangover, and other tiny stuff like that.But do make a note of this: the movie is an excellent movie! It is hilarious, and is one of the rare cartoons that you can really dissect and discuss as if it were literature. The animation is excellent; I've never seen a cartoon so accurately portray human facial and body expression like this movie. You will appreciate how much detail is given to the animation, plot, and to the unity of the entire film: everything is explained. It's a definite must for your collection, but again, I would not recommend it for any child under 11.
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