When thinking of classic animated movies, most people’s minds will go straight to Disney, but it’s best to not overlook Dreamworks, especially when it comes toThe Road To El Dorado. It is debatable thatThe Emperor’s New Groove(Disney’s big release in 2000)is more notable than Dreamworks’ big release of 2000, heavily splitting fans between the two classic films. The truth is, both films deserve adequate attention, with now being the perfect time for a spotlight onThe Road To El Dorado.
The Dreamworks classic was directed by Eric Bergeron and Don Paul in their debuts, which is a serious shock considering how the film turned out.With an incredible soundtrackthat features the work of heavy hitters like Elton John and Hans Zimmer, it should be clear that this isn’t the average animated movie. It was a box office flop, but that is a thing of the past, especially thanks to all the attention the film has been getting as of late.
Miguel and Tulio might just be the most notorious and ineffective con artists in Spain, something that allows them to win a map to the lost city of El Dorado. It may be the 1500’s but that doesn’t mean the city guards aren’t interested in punishing cheats, leading to the two friends fleeingand hiding on a boat. Unfortunately, the boat they chose to hide on belonged to a Spanish conquistador named Cortes who was about to leave for a quest to explore the New World, something that eventually led to their capture. Not wanting to take their chances as prisoners at sea, the two men hatch a plan and escape along with the horse Altivo, eventually washing up on a mysterious shore.
Luckily, the map that the two friends won wasn’t a fake and actually featured nearby structures that the duo used to follow the path to El Dorado. At the end of their adventure, it appears like they’ve hit a dead end until an El Dorado woman named Chel bumps into the duo, and the group is brought back into the city by a group of guards. While the fate of the two men could have been much worse, the people of El Dorado come to believe that Miguel and Tulio are actually two of their gods who come to walk the earth. Chel quickly discoverstheir story is nothing but lies, but the men agree to bring her with them when they eventually leave the city, complete with tons of gold.
The men go against the customs of the people of the city during a ritual sacrifice, saving the victim and proclaiming to be benevolent gods. Sadly, the conquistador Cortes and his men have reached the same shore from earlier and begin their journeythrough the jungletoward El Dorado. Miguel and Tulio each spend time with the people of El Dorado, Tulio primarily with Chel scheming for their route out of the city and Miguel with the people of the city, learning their ways of life. The sinister priest Tzekel-Kan quietly calls the godhood of the men into question and goads them into a brutal game that Miguel and Tulio manage to win with some help from an animal friend.
During their match, Miguel is injured and bleeds, causing Tzekel-Kan’s suspicions to be realized and causing the priest to begin a sinister plan of his own. Due to their differences, Miguel and Tulio begin to argue with one another despite enjoying a party being thrown in their honor, and that’s when Tzekel-Kan attackswith a massive jaguar. The two men manage to send the jaguar and the priest into the sacrificial whirlpool of El Dorado, causing Tzekel-Kan to wind up in the jungle at the feet of Cortes. With sinister intentions in mind, the vile priest leads Cortes toward El Dorado, unaware of what it would mean if he reached the city.
Did Elton John Really Do All The Music?
A fact about this film that might surprise those who haven’t seen it is that Elton John absolutely crushed the soundtrack for this film. While he wasn’t solely responsible for all the music featured throughout – believe it or not,Hanz Zimmer worked on the instrumental scorefor the movie – Elton John did give it his all as always. Working with Tim Rice on much of the soundtrack, the pair managed to capture pure magic in one of the best soundtracks for any Dreamworks movie to date. Nearly every song is memorable, and even the one song he didn’t perform on the soundtrack, It’s Tough To Be A God, he still worked on the music.
There are a handful of standout tracks throughout the movie, but those who decide to give it a watch are bound to walk away humming at least one of the tunes. Being a fan of Elton John isn’t required to enjoy the soundtrack either, as it’s entirely likely that someone who didn’t know it was Elton John singing would enjoy the music just the same. It’s not over-the-top pop music, it’s a soundtrack that fits a tale of adventure, friendship, and danger.
With Cortes on his way to El Dorado, it was only a matter of time before things went sideways. Within the city, the two friends decide on their own destinies, with Tulio planning on getting out of the city with Chelvia a large boatand Miguel remaining behind to be with the new people he’s fallen in love with. Before Tulio can get out of there with his beloved gold, they notice the approach of Cortes drawing ever closer. Knowing that his arrival would result in the destruction of the city and the death of all who inhabit El Dorado, Tulio makes a selfless decision.
He suggests that if their large boat were to sail directly into the entrance to the city, it would be sealed off from the violence Cortes’ men were likely to inflict. That course of action was sure to result in theloss of most of his gold, but Tulio knows how important the people of El Dorado are to his friend. With some help and a little luck, the plan ends up working, though Miguel ends up having to leave the city with Tulio in order to help get the sails fully opened. Miguel, Tulio, Chel, and Altivo cause the entrance to collapse, officially hiding the road to El Dorado for good.
Despite Tzekel-Kan’s attempts at treachery, he has been thwarted, resulting in a fate worse than death when Cortes elects to keep the priest captive. With the danger averted, Miguel and Tulio reflect on their time in El Dorado and especially the loss of all their gold, though they do eventually realize they didn’t lose everything.The Road To El Doradoends with the group of friends heading out to blaze a new trail for a life filled with new adventures.
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