One of my all-time favorite movies as a kid was The Road to El Dorado. From an exciting adventure to the mythic city of gold, to the hilarious banter of the two main characters, Miguel and Tulio and their scams and scrapes with the law and death, it’s a classic. Even better, watching it as an adult there is still much humor to be appreciated, plus a few sly, adult jokes that went over your head as a kid.

I watched this movie again over the weekend, read some reviews, and was at first surprised and sad to see so many harsh critiques of one of my childhood favorites.

There’s some issues regarding the historical inaccuracy of the movie in regards to its misrepresentation of indigenous peoples, and not recognizing the horrors they actually experienced as a result of European settlement. It’s fair to raise these concerns, and I will leave these arguments where they lay.

However if we can put all politics aside, this movie is a comedic gem in the family-movie realm, and here are a few GIFs to illustrate that.

1. Miguel’s positivity gets them in some trouble, but is always delightful

No matter what goes wrong, Miguel is always a source of comic relief. When Hernan Cortes threatens the pair with flogging and enslavement on the sugar plantations in Cuba, Miguel enthusiastically responds, "Alright! Cuba!" His goofy antics, hopeful spirit, and big smile make you love him from the moment he dramatically strums his little guitar in the beginning of the movie.

2. Tulio's sass touches the cynic in us all

Tulio helps keep Miguel’s head out of the clouds—at least he tries. But he also indulges him, like when he agrees to find El Dorado with him, creating the adventure of the movie

3. Altivo

Who doesn’t love a horse with personality? Kids movies are good at making horses more like dogs behavior-wise, but Altivo really is his own character. He’s smart, has a sense of humor, and he’s not afraid to bite when necessary. He loves kids and enjoys the luxuries of the paradise city of El Dorado just as much as Miguel and Tulio.

4. Ridiculous antics

In their few days as pretend Gods, Miguel and Tulio get pretty desperate and their actions are increasingly humorous.

5. Miguel and Tulio's goofy, resilient friendship

Despite a personal threat of torture and lifelong enslavement from Cortes himself, a stormy ocean journey, an extensive jungle expedition, some girl drama, a highly competitive sport against warriors, and their near-death experiences in facing the High Priest and protecting El Dorado, Miguel and Tulio’s friendship falters slightly, yet holds strong, with plenty of laughs along the way. They have each other’s backs through it all and they stick together in the end.