Is Dora and the Lost City of Gold Kid Friendly?

“Hola, soy Dora!” Fans of Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer will immediately recognize this popular phrase in the newest live-action Dora movie. Is Dora and the Lost City of Gold kid friendly? Though the animated series targeted a much younger audience, Dora and the Lost City of Gold is ok for most children. There are some things to watch out for, so let’s talk about the language, violence, and mature content in the new Dora movie.

Is Dora and the Lost City of Gold Kid Friendly?

Is Dora and the Lost City of Gold ok for kids? With a PG-rating, there was no real language issues, a random cartoon butt shot and some parts that could be scary for small children, but overall no strong violence. This is a fun, summer movie for the whole family!

Language in Dora and the Lost City of Gold

There were a couple of uses of g-d. Other than that there was potty talk about poo and a lot of uses of the word, “shut up” – just in case little ones like to repeat things around the house.

Violence

There are a couple of scary scenes where Dora and her friends are in trouble. They aren’t too bad, and I didn’t notice my 8-year-old hiding her face during any of the scenes. Dora takes out a knife to escape, some bad guys are chasing them, and there is some Inca mythology that may land them in boiling lava – literally. Think a little Indiana Jones-ish.

Mature Content in the Dora Movie

Dora is now a teenager and goes to high school, so some of the dialogue is a little mature. A character goes off on a mini-rant about misogyny, there’s talk of mating (amongst insects and wildlife), and there is a semi-passionate kiss. Some of the humor is a little irreverent, too, when talking about poo and making up a song about it.

The most troubling and random part of the movie is when it turns into an animated movie briefly, and then one of the characters takes off their clothes and runs into the jungle. You see a brief shot of his animated butt, which was totally unnecessary and had nothing to do with the storyline. However, it did get laughs from the audience.

Is Dora and the Lost City of Gold Appropriate for Children Under 8?

I would recommend the Dora movie for ages 8 and up. Some of the more mature content will likely go over the younger kids’ heads. I think little kids would enjoy it if they are used to sitting through movies and can get over that some of the scenes drag on a bit. I just don’t think it’ll hold the interest of a younger crowd. And Dora and the Lost City of Gold is definitely not for toddlers!

Kids will love Boots and Swiper, laugh at some of the physical comedy, and if they have seen Dora the Explorer will cheer alongside the adults who remember watching, too. “Can you say, delicioso?” Yup, that part had me rolling.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold Review

Overall, Dora and the Lost City of Gold is fun for the whole family. Isabela Moner, who plays Dora, really did an excellent job of encompassing the energy and cheesiness of the original younger character, while being a likable teen. You can’t help but smile at her wide-eyed goodness.

The references from the original cartoon, seeing Abuelita and Diego, and hearing Dora sing the Map and Backpack songs brought back that nostalgic feeling I’ve been missing. I adore Michael Peña, so he provided tons of laughs, too, though I wish there were more scenes with him.

Is the Dora movie going to win an Academy Award? Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean the acting isn’t good. This is how you do a live-action reboot from an animated show. Have the characters grow up, write a new storyline, but also give the original audience the ‘best of’ hits. I enjoyed every single reference and kept laughing every time Dora stared dead-panned into the camera to teach us a lesson.

My little Dora fans are now tweens and teens just like the character and can totally relate to that feeling of not fitting in during high school. There are valuable lessons about friendship and family with some bonus hokiness that was welcome in a sometimes negative world.

Is Dora and the Lost City of Gold kid friendly? Yes. It’s kid-friendly, parent-friendly, and family-friendly, and we need more movies like it to balance out the trashiness that’s becoming the norm for older children. Can you say, “excelente?” Excelente!

For more information about Dora and the Lost City of Gold, check out their Facebook page!

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