Didn’t you always think that cartoons are made only for kids? Well, that’s what I’ve always thought. You know, you see those cartoon previews full of colorful characters and sing-along tunes, geared specifically for younger audiences, and you think it’s going to be great. The Road To ElDorado, Dreamworks’ latest attempt at cashing in on the animation phenomenon, offers this same phony impression. But it’s a misrepresentation of the truth.
Showing previews that are full of laughter and lovable characters, The Road To ElDorado looks like a great family film. Not so. Instead, the two lead characters aren’t very appealing; it’s very difficult to like them. Tulio (Kevin Kline) and Miguel (Kenneth Branagh) are two thieving misfits searching for ElDorado, the lost city of gold. Their lust for gold is absolutely despicable and is the entire premise of the film. What does that teach young children who are so impressionable? Greed is good! Okay, okay, so they save a few lives here and there, and they rid the city of the evil High Priest Tzekel-Kan (Armand Assante), but it’s not enough. There’s just so little to cheer about.
The supporting characters? Egad! Rosie Perez is the voice of Chel, a city know-it-all and Tulio’s love interest. Perez is enough to turn me off to this movie; she’s more annoying as a cartoon than she is in person. Now that takes talent. Chel is more like a sex kitten than a naive beauty. The innocence that most cartoon heroines possess and need is lost to her character. Her relationship with Tulio is too grown up and advanced, not really appropriate for the little ones. It’s all sex appeal. What do eight-year-olds need with a couple of growling sex piranhas groping each other? As for the city of ElDorado’ s Chief (Edward James Olmos), he seems too oblivious to what’s happening, and the High Priest is not villainous enough. I guess I have this problem of comparing it to other cartoons, you know, the cartoons that are actually good.
I can’t talk about The Road To ElDorado without mentioning its music. Elton John and Tim Rice team up yet again to put together a happy-go-lucky soundtrack and fill in the space with their musical wonder. So why can’t it be like the good old days where the characters themselves would burst into song and do little jigs through the town square? I have a difficult time with contemporary artists taking over in animated features. Although the music is good, it’s just not the right feeling.
I guess I’m making it sound like The Road To ElDorado is made more for adults. Sorry folks, but it doesn’t work well that way either. It’s too unbelievable and outlandish for adults to fall for. ElDorado is just not an attention grabber. As this one stands, neither kids nor adults will enjoy the adventure. Rent a classic and see how simple and fun animated innocence really can be.
+ Ashley Adams
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