The Road to El Dorado

Directed by Eric “Bibo” Bergeron and Don Paul, The Road to El Dorado follows con men Tulio (Kevin Kline) and Miguel (Kenneth Branagh) as they’re mistaken for gods after tracking down the mythical title locale. It’s agreeable subject matter that’s employed to entertaining (albeit awfully slight) effect by Bergeron and Paul, as the filmmakers, armed with Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio’s screenplay, deliver a briskly-paced comedy that fares best within its lighthearted and legitimately funny opening stretch – with the watchable atmosphere heightened by Kline and Branagh’s charming, hilarious voice work (as well as their irresistible chemistry together). It’s clear, then, that The Road to El Dorado‘s overall impact is diminished by a distressingly hit-and-miss midsection that’s more the latter than the former, with the episodic structure, coupled with a growing emphasis on less-than-engrossing attributes (eg the inevitable rift that forms between Tulio and Miguel), paving the way for a somewhat underwhelming third act. (The inclusion of over-the-top bits of action does little to allay the arms-length atmosphere, ultimately.) Still, The Road to El Dorado‘s mostly affable feel goes a long way towards compensating for its missteps – which does, in the final analysis, confirm its place as a decent-enough animated endeavor.

**1/2 out of ****