Top 20: 'The Road To El Dorado'

This is an adventure film from the 2D animation days of DreamWorks. Two conmen find their way to a golden city and maintain the pretence they’re gods. Ok, there’s that review over.

One of the most notable areas of this film is the humour; the script is so concisely written that a wide variety of consistent comedy is present. There’s character comedy such as the line "I’ve fought your sister! That’s a compliment," during a friendly battle.

There’s also visual humour, such as their initially poor attempts to row their boat to shore.

The humour is helped by the engaging and genuine dynamic between Miguel and Tulio voiced by Kenneth Brannagh and Kevin Kline respectively. Their blend of conflicting traits and common objectives are perfectly balanced.

Their interactions capture the humour, underlying danger and essence of an inexperienced mismatched adventuring companions' dynamic better than many other animated films with similar aims. It isn’t uncommon for a film to over-rely on miscommunication, but here they commit to this cause by suggesting the protagonists will suffer death if their deceit isn’t maintained so that sympathy is never lost.

To further ensure viewers are reminded that the characters are ultimately moral is a scene where the duo avoid sending an innocent man to death. Even in this scene humour is maintained resulting in the memorable line, "The stars are not in order for this tributes."

Details like this make a playful obviously fantastical film surprisingly investing.To further texture the film, there are other rounded characters like Chel. (I meant rounded personality-wise, how dare you think such filth?) Her surprising capability and intelligence drove the plot in many places.

Of course, it’s her personality that fans remember her for.

There's so much character.

The artwork is also incredible. Characters movements are explicitly fluid, colours are rich, facial features and other textures are hugely authentic. There’s an un-distracting sense of stylisation that gives the film a successively distinctive appearance and never feels forced.

The occasional presence of CGI to create the more challenging set pieces gives an extremely pleasing effect. Several experimental musical numbers un-indulgently display the animator’s full and vibrant capabilities.

Speaking of music, the score by Elton John is incredibly well suited to the film. The usual dilemma of musical number possibly interfering with the film is avoided by sparing use of songs.

Music is usually used to chronicle important story context, or to flavour certain scenes that without a music showing passage of time, would be expressed in a more meandering manner.

"It’s Tough to be a God" is probably the most memorable due to the way it celebrates the films comedy and experimental artwork that was mentioned earlier.

One notable negative is that, despite most of the CGI and 2D animation blending causing a pleasing effect, there are notable instances where the opposite is true. CGI has developed a great deal since this film was made, so the dated technology sometimes tarnishes the visual quality of the film in ways that the timelessly amazing hand drawn imagery doesn’t.

Apart from this, supporting antagonist Hernan Cortez is bland in design and personality. This is easily explained by the fact his role is small and redeemed by how he’s effectively used a distant figure who doesn’t distract from the story but still provides an underlying sense of jeopardy.

The film combines genres with ease as a fantasy adventure buddy comedy with a genuine sense of looming threat. The changes in setting from the opening to the remainder of the film give the world a sense of actualisation.

This is assisted by decent characterisation, enjoyable and believable relationship dynamics, suitably identifiable music and an enchantingly executed visual style.