Growing, the concept of television seemed absolutely amazing. To a small toddler, the idea that you could just turn on a box in your home and get to watch cartoons and stories absolutely was mind-boggling. As a result, kids of my generation felt a type of gravitational pull towards this world of entertainment. Though our parents insisted (as they should) that we take breaks to go outside or do another activity, we always seemed drawn back to the land of imagination trapped in our electronic boxes.

Due to this, television programmers sought to create a type of happy medium for both the fascinated child and the frustrated parent. Television aimed at children would air, but what if there were shows that sought to be teachers as well as entertainers. Thus shows like "Dora the Explorer," "Blue's Clues," and "DragonTales" were born with the specific goal of combining fun and education. Personally, I absolutely loved these shows as they provided me with hours of entertainment with colorful words and characters. They definitely hold a special place in my heart that I can only attribute to fond nostalgia.

With this love in my heart for these type of educational programs, you can imagine my confusion and surprise when I found out they were coming out with a live-action "Dora" film that was actually going to hit theaters. On one hand, I was amazed and amused; I have to admit it would be kind of funny to see a character like Dora get translated to the big screen. However, like most things that get tinted with the nostalgia goggles, I couldn't help but be apprehensive. What kind of damage was a show I loved as a child going to take? Especially a show that existed in the animated realm?

If there is one thing I can say about the live-action Dora film, it's that this film was far from dull. In fact, it was a wild ride from minute one until the ending credits. There is so much within this film to unpack that one can only take it a step at a time.

First, I have to admit that I really enjoyed the portrayal of Dora in this movie. She was a fun character to watch onscreen because her performance was always full of energy. In fact, her character was so much fun in the ways that she just busted the expectations of everyone around her in her own jungle-expert ways. She always gave off this type of chaotic energy that is always fun to see play off of other characters onscreen and I found her performance to definitely be enjoyable.

The other characters seemed to work well off of each other as well with the main supporting friends having the most chemistry and fun performances. The adult characters were fine, but in comparison to the children, they felt bit off. It's almost like they were written with a child's concept of what an adult is (awkward and strange). However, that really isn't out of place with the rest of the children cast as they are all zany themselves. Overall, I would say the performances were fun, but definitely acted out in a way to capture the attention or focus of a child.

One thing that I liked about this film was its sense of humor. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of a "Dora" film in terms of humor, but, as I mentioned before, Dora's unbridled enthusiasm and chaotic, jungle-loving energy really broke my expectations. There were several times that I found myself laughing pretty hard during this film and for that, I was pleasantly surprised. Was every joke perfect and hit home? Well, no, but there was enough humor there that kept me watching for the next joke.

I won't say too much about the main plot other than it is obviously written for a young child in mind. Once you see the trailer and first few minutes of the movie, you get a good idea where the film is going to go (especially concerning the plot with the antagonist), but it was still a fun experience. I will say that there IS a moment of 2D animation in the movie and it is gorgeously animated and hit me right in the nostalgia. It is always good to see 2D animation on the big screen.

With all of this in mind, with all that I enjoyed about this movie, there was still something fundamentally odd about the film. It's not something that BREAKS the movie, but something that you constantly think about as the movie plays onscreen. Who is this movie made for? With a gut reaction, you might say this is a movie for kids, but the type of humor in this film doesn't reflect that as well. A majority of the jokes in the film hinge on the idea that you are of an age aware enough to get when the film is being self deprecating and making fun of its own characters or conventions. It relies too much on a higher level of knowledge of the source to get a good chunk of the humor. However, this film is also not for adults. It's storyline and other jokes reflect the idea of a much younger audience. Fundamentally we have a clash of audience interest. Who is supposed to be invested in the movie more?

Now, I know that there exists a happy medium where a movie can be both for adults and children. This isn't a new concept and I'm not claiming it to be so. However, if this IS the case, it IS odd in the way the film goes about it. It is very self-critical in nature which can be really confusing in terms of tone and delivery. Is it supposed to be the embodiment of a "Dora" adventure or is it a "Dora" parody? I suppose it depends on the viewer and mindset, but it surely is an interesting debate.

Overall, this film is a wild adventure and because of the exciting trip, I definitely don't regret going on one last adventure with Dora.