Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado Review: Fumbling Through the Jungle

Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado, directed by Alberto Belli and written by JT Billings, aims to revive the beloved Dora the Explorer franchise with a live-action sequel-reboot hybrid. Following 2019’s moderately successful Dora and the Lost City of Gold, this new chapter trades in much of the quirky charisma and character-driven humor of its predecessor for an uninspired jungle trek that struggles to justify its own existence. With a mostly fresh cast led by Samantha Lorraine and a paper-thin plot centered on an ancient treasure in the Amazon, Search for Sol Dorado is a disappointing, scatterbrained attempt to franchise nostalgia without capturing its soul.

A Less-Than-Explosive Start:

The film follows Dora Márquez (Samantha Lorraine) as she embarks on a new adventure deep into the Amazon rainforest in search of Sol Dorado, a mystical treasure said to wield unimaginable power. With her monkey sidekick Boots (Gabriel Iglesias) in tow, Dora is joined by her cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez), Diego’s girlfriend Naiya (Mariana Garzón Toro), Naiya’s younger brother Sonny (Acston Luca Porto), and the eccentric archaeologist Camila the Crusader (Daniella Pineda). Standing in their way? A group of ruthless mercenaries, hellbent on stealing Sol Dorado’s power for nefarious means.

From the opening sequence, it becomes painfully clear that Search for Sol Dorado lacks the confident tone and self-awareness that made its 2019 predecessor surprisingly effective. Where that film cleverly played with Dora’s childlike personality in a fish-out-of-water high school setting, Sol Dorado returns her to the jungle with little nuance or narrative creativity. The result is a plot that feels more like a generic knockoff of Indiana Jones than a fresh, engaging family adventure.

Samantha Lorraine Tries—But Misses the Mark:

Stepping into Dora’s iconic backpack-wearing shoes is Samantha Lorraine, a young actress who certainly looks the part but struggles to bring the character’s spirit to life. While Lorraine delivers her lines with enthusiasm, her portrayal of Dora feels muted and overly polished, lacking the quirky earnestness and comedic awkwardness that made Isabela Merced’s version so memorable.

Which brings us to one of the film’s most glaring flaws: the absence of Isabela Merced. Her charismatic and self-aware take on Dora in Lost City of Gold gave that film a unique charm that elevated it beyond a simple kids’ movie. Here, her replacement feels like a downgrade, both in terms of acting presence and chemistry with the supporting cast. Merced’s absence is felt in nearly every scene, leaving Lorraine with a heavy torch to carry that she simply can’t keep aflame.

Jacob Rodriguez fares better as Diego, bringing some welcome energy and a natural rapport with his co-stars. Mariana Garzón Toro and Acston Luca Porto, as Naiya and Sonny, respectively, are serviceable, though their roles are largely underwritten and fail to contribute meaningfully to the story. Daniella Pineda tries to inject some fun into her role as Camila the Crusader, but even her over-the-top performance can’t overcome the muddled direction and inconsistent tone.

Lost in the Jungle of Clunky Dialogue and Flat Humor:

JT Billings’ screenplay is a scattershot blend of kiddie humor, slapstick, and vague mystical exposition, none of which fully land. Jokes are often tired or forced, relying on outdated references and tired one-liners that feel more Nickelodeon circa 2006 than relevant or fresh. Worse still, the script often forgets who its target audience is—some moments seem aimed at very young children, while others weirdly skew older, resulting in tonal whiplash.

The mercenaries—who should have posed a serious threat or at least offered comic villainy—are flat, forgettable caricatures. Their motives are never well-developed, and they serve more as convenient obstacles than compelling antagonists. The film’s attempts at suspense or danger rarely succeed because the stakes are so ill-defined and the characters’ reactions so inconsistent.

Production Value and Action Set Pieces:

As for visuals, some wide shots of the Amazon are genuinely beautiful, and the film makes decent use of natural landscapes. However, the action sequences are bland and uninspired. Choppy editing and clumsy choreography reduce what should be exciting moments into confusing bursts of movement and noise. A mid-film booby trap gauntlet—a classic of the treasure-hunting genre—is especially disappointing, featuring cheap CGI and little inventiveness.

The film’s pacing is also a problem. Clocking in at just under 100 minutes, it still somehow feels bloated, with long stretches of dull exposition and repetitive dialogue bogging down what should be a brisk adventure. It’s as if the filmmakers were constantly unsure whether to embrace the campy tone of the cartoon or aim for a more grounded action-adventure, and they end up failing to commit to either.

The Legacy of a Backpack and a Talking Map:

One of the original show’s enduring charms was its interactivity and magical realism: talking backpacks, singing maps, and anthropomorphic animal friends. Search for Sol Dorado only half-heartedly embraces these elements. Boots returns, but the film can’t decide if he should talk or just make expressive noises. Iconic elements like the Map are given a perfunctory nod or excluded altogether, which strips the film of much of its personality and playful charm.

The result is a reboot that feels caught in an identity crisis. It’s not faithful enough to please longtime fans of the show, nor clever or cinematic enough to justify its reboot status. Unlike Lost City of Gold, which found a smart way to balance nostalgia with satire and earnest adventure, Sol Dorado just feels like a brand-extension exercise—colorful, hollow, and ultimately forgettable.

Overall:

Despite the efforts of its young cast and a few fleeting moments of visual flair, Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado is a frustrating misfire. The decision to recast Dora with Samantha Lorraine might have worked with stronger writing and direction, but without Isabela Merced’s magnetic presence, the film struggles to establish a compelling protagonist. The action is lackluster, the humor falls flat, and the story feels recycled from better movies in the genre.

There was real potential for a charming, family-friendly adventure here, especially with the rich backdrop of the Amazon and the enduring appeal of Dora’s explorer persona. But by playing it safe, cutting corners, and failing to recapture the tone that worked before, Search for Sol Dorado ends up as a shallow echo of better entries in both the Dora universe and the adventure genre at large.