Kronk's New Groove
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 This movie would literally throw off Kuzco's groove
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Kronk's New Groove (also known as The Emperor's New Groove 2: Kronk's New Groove) is a 2005 American direct-to-video animated musical comedy film animated by Toon City Animation and released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment on December 13, 2005. The film is the sequel/spin-off to the 2000 animated film The Emperor's New Groove, is the second/final film in The Emperor's New Groove film duology and is the second/penultimate installment of the The Emperor's New Groove franchise. It features reprises of the roles of David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton and Wendie Malick from the first film, with new voices by John Mahoney and Tracey Ullman. It was also the last film to feature the voice of John Fiedler, who died six months before it was released.
Plot
Emperor Kuzco (David Spade) narrates the story about Kronk Pepikrankenitz (Patrick Warburton), now chef and Head Delivery Boy of Mudka's Meat Hut, who is fretting over the upcoming visit of his father. Kronk's father always disapproved of young Kronk's culinary interests and wished that Kronk instead would settle down with a wife and a large house on a hill.
In a flashback, Kronk tells the story of how he almost had both of these. As unwitting accomplice to Yzma (Eartha Kitt) – the villainess of the first film who turned into a cat at the end of the original, but is now human again despite still having a tail – he goes along with her plan to sell sewer slime as a youth potion. He makes enough money to buy the old folks' home from the old folks and put his large new home there. Eventually, Yzma is revealed as a fake and the old folks chase her down and corner her at a bridge over a river full of crocodiles. To prevent them from attacking her, she transforms herself into a rabbit, but is then caught and taken away by a condor. When Kronk realizes the old folks have sold everything they own in return for something which doesn't work, he gives his home back to them.
Kronk, as camp counselor of the Junior Chipmunks at Camp Chippamunka, falls in love with fellow counselor Miss Birdwell (Tracey Ullman); but when one of his Chipmunks, Tipo, pulls a prank to win the camp championships and is caught, Kronk, feeling responsible for the situation (due to having previously told his Chipmunks to do whatever it took to win), protects the boy at the cost of alienating his love.
Kronk's father (John Mahoney) arrives and confusion ensues as several supportive friends try to pass themselves off to him as Kronk's wife and kids. But in the end, Kronk realizes that his wealth is in his friendships, and this finally wins his father's thumbs up and Miss Birdwell's love.
Meanwhile, just outside the house, Yzma is in the condor's nest with two eggs, which hatch and presumably attack her before the credits roll.
Bad Qualities
- It was really unnecessary for making a sequel that focused on Kronk. They should've just kept the first movie standalone instead of making this sequel.
- The story could've done better, it's mostly concedes of two flashback sequnces that serves as the main films.
- This movie isn't very funny, especially compared to the original film's funny humor.
- Kuzco doesn't get that much screen-time despite being the main protagonist of the first film.
- There is a lot of innuendo. FOR A KID'S MOVIE ON DISNEY. Like when Kronk was trying to tell the second flashback in projector mode, there would then be a film with the title being "St#g Reel."
- The flashbacks can get boring at times.
- Many pop culture references like in the first flashback where there's a moment when Rudy acts like Gollum from the Lord of the Rings franchise. And in the bread making scene with Kronk and Mrs. Birdwell has the song, "Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind & Fire. (Sure, a lot of movies feature songs that were already created before the movie but still.)
- Kronk's father was a bit unlikable as he shuns his son for looking forward to his dreams when he tried to show him he can be better during his childhood, to the point he went to bed crying and at one point took his mitins, making that downright mean-spirited.
- Overall, this film has no impact whatsoever on The Emperor's New Groove franchise, as the follow-up TV series The Emperor's New School (which is far superior to this film) outrights ignores the entire events of this film with the intention of being a sequel to the original film rather than this film, so skipping over this film wouldn't leave out any major plot details or anything.
Good Qualities
- Great voice acting.
- The soundtrack, composed by both Mark Watters & Jeanine Tesori, is catchy and might get the viewers attention.
- At least everyone is still likable and weren't flanderized.
- Speaking of Kronk, he gets some very good character development and is still likable.
- The animation is still as good as the original movie.
- There are some heartwarming moments. One example is Kronk's romance (and in the end credits, marriage) with Miss Birdwell. AT the end after Kronk confesses to his father, what does the latter does? He gives him a thumbs-up!
- Decent moments such as Yzma's water ride to her secret lab, Kronk having a great time with his allies, Kuzco being considerate by letting Kronk have a turn in having the spotlight, and Kronk receiving a big thumbs-up from his dad at the end.
- One Funny Joke: Yzma: I got a Proposition for you. Kronk: Yuck! Yzma: A Business Proposition. Kronk: Oh, Phew.
Reception
The movie currently holds a 0% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, based on seven reviews with an average rating of 4.5/10. David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews states the main character "works best in small doses; forced to carry an entire movie, Kronk becomes tedious and (unbelievable as it seems) unfunny." On film database IMDb, the film holds a user-generated rating of 5.8/10, based on 11,865 reviews.
Trivia
- Kronk's local delivery boy service is branch #867-5309, a nod to the Tommy Tutone single.
- Wendie Malick (the voice of Chicha) and John Mahoney (the voice of Papi) both starred in the hit TV series Frasier (1993), each the love interest of the other on the show.
- The toy train Kronk rides on is designed after the train from Dumbo (1941).
- It won a couple of Annie Awards in 2006.
- Papi, which is the name Kronk uses for his father, is Spanish slang for "Dad" or "Daddy".
- This is the first DisneyToon Studios movie to not feature the "Walt Disney Pictures presents" credit.
