Kronk's New Groove (also known as The Emperor's New Groove 2: Kronk's New Groove) is a 2005 direct-to-video animated film released by The Walt Disney Company on December 13, 2005. The film is the sequel to the 2000 Disney animated feature film The Emperor's New Groove and features reprises of the roles of David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, and Wendie Malick from the original film, with new voices by John Mahoney and Tracey Ullman. This was also the last film to feature the voice of John Fiedler, who died six months before the film was released.
Plot[]
This film begins near the end, just like the first film. The film begins with Mudka's Meat Hut exploding into a giant mess of cheese, and Kronk (Patrick Warburton) narrates the story explaining how he had recently lost everything. Then the film rewinds to "earlier that same day" with an opening theme recapping how Kronk gave up being Yzma's (Eartha Kitt) evil henchman.
After this, Emperor Kuzco (David Spade) quickly explains how Kronk's New Groove is Kronk's movie, not Kuzco's. Kronk is shown to now be chef and Head Delivery Boy of Mudka's Meat Hut. Then a man in a robe comes in delivering a "llamagram" to Kronk from his father, Papi. Papi 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. Because of the llamagram, Kronk is doomed, and explains to Mata the Waitress how he used to have what Papi wanted him to have in two flashbacks.
In the first flashback, Kronk delivers food to old people at the Flickering Embers Home for Seniors. On the way out, he follows a coin on a string to Yzma's (who is now human again, despite still having a tail) new lair. Yzma shows Kronk her vault of bottles of what she claims is youth potion, and tells Kronk to sell it to the old people to make enough money to buy a house on a hill to get a thumbs up from Papi. Kuzco interrupts the film to briefly explain that the youth potion was fake in case any viewers didn't notice.
Rudy, one of the old people, offers to sell the senior home to Kronk to make money. So, Kronk buys the old folks' home from the old folks and put his large new home there. After Kronk finishes writing his letter to Papi about his new house, Rudy comes in and is naked because he sold his clothes to make money. Rudy explains to Kronk that he is now broke, but then Kronk suddenly realises that Yzma scammed the old people with a fake potion, so they tell the others before they elect Yzma emperor.
The old people chase Yzma all the way to a bridge and then Yzma drinks a potion to transform herself into a rabbit but gets snatched up by an eagle. Then Rudy says he and the other old people are living in an alley, and because Kronk cheated Rudy by accident, he generously gives his home back to them.
In the second flashback, Kronk is shown as a Troop Leader at Camp Chippamunka. He receives word from a squirrel that a new troop leader named Birdwell (Tracey Ullman) seeks to win the trophy. During the aquatic competition Birdwell's troop wins the point just because Kronk went first when the troops had to compete in alphabetical order. After the other competitions the troops are tied eventually. Because of this, the Chipmunk Cheer-off is needed to decide the winner. Kronk tells his Little Chippers to do whatever it takes to win and this gives Tipo the idea to cheat.
Kronk and Birdwell separately make raisin bread to cheer up their Little Chippers, but then they realise that Kronk has Birdwell's raisins and Birdwell has Kronk's eggs. They agree to make raisin bread together and eventually fall in love. The next day the two troop leaders declare a truce and pass out the raisin bread, and the Little Chippers find out that Kronk and Birdwell are now in love, but Tipo is not there to witness it because he is preparing a prank where he puts itching powder in Troop Birdwell's hand chalk.
Despite the truce, they still do the Chipmunk Cheer-off because the Little Chippers had been tiringly working on their routines for a long time. Tipo tells Kronk about the prank he pulled and then Birdwell discovers this and has a word with Tipo. Kronk admits that he told Tipo to do whatever it takes to win at the cost of alienating Birdwell.
After both flashbacks, Papi (John Mahoney) is about to arrive and Kronk realizes that Pacha has what Kronk needs to get him a thumbs up: A wife and kids and a house on a hill. When Papi arrives Kronk tells Papi that Chicha is his wife, that Pacha's kids are Kronk's kids, that Pacha's house is Kronk's house, and that Pacha (whom he calls Pachita) is his mother-in-law. Tipo tells the old people to pretend to be Kronk's wife and kids and suddenly confusion ensues.
While Kronk is preparing food, the oven continually gets hotter and explodes in a giant mess of cheese, exactly where the film started. Then, Kronk admits he lied to Papi, but Chaca comforts him by reminding him that he has plenty of friends. Then others explain to Papi about how Kronk used to have a house on a hill and a girlfriend but he gave them up to protect his friends. In the end, Kronk realizes that his wealth is in his friendships and this finally wins his father's thumbs up. Papi tells Kronk he is proud of him, finally accepting him. To Kronk's surprise, Miss Birdwell returns and this reignites his love for her. Everyone celebrates by dancing and Papi hugs Kronk and Birdwell.
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.
In the credits are shown the photos of Kronk and Birdwell's honeymoon, including in Paris, Pisa, and Venice.
Cast[]
- Patrick Warburton as Kronk, Angel Kronk, Devil Kronk
- Tracey Ullman as Ms. Birdwell
- Eartha Kitt as Yzma
- David Spade as Emperor Kuzco
- John Goodman as Pacha
- Wendie Malick as Chicha
- John Mahoney as Papi
- John Fiedler as Rudy
Additional Voices[]
- Jeff Bennett as Skinny Old Man, Stout Old Man (Burt), Gollum-Rudy
- Bob Bergen as Bucky
- Brian Cummings
- Lori Alan
- Jack Angel
- Corey Burton
- John Cygan
- Jeannie Elias
- Teresa Ganzel
- Raquel Lee
- Rachael MacFarlane
- Mona Marshall
- Mickie McGowan
- Scott Menville
- Paige Pollack
- Kerry Shale
- Russi Taylor
- Emily Anderson
- Bob Bergen
- Jim Cummings
- Jennifer Darling
- Bill Farmer
- Ashley Gardner
- Sherry Lynn
- Anndi McAfee
- Julia McIlvaine
- Rob Pederson
- Jan Rabson
- Mindy Sterling
- Lauren Tom
- Kari Wahlgren
- Patti Deutsch as Mata the Waitress
- Jessie Flower as Chaca
- Anthony Ghannam as Huayna
- Gatlin Green
- Eli Russell Linnetz as Tipo, Angel Tipo, Devil Tipo
- Tress MacNeille
- Travis Oates
- Ross Simanteris
- Kath Soucie
- April Winchell as Hildy, Marge, Tina
Reception[]
The film received negative reviews and currently holds a 0% approval rating by the critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 55% approval rating by the audience. Many film critics have stated that the film "has great voice talents, but weak storylines and not much groove." Others have stated that the film shows that Kronk "works best in small doses," and the film should not have centered around this character.
Songs[]
- Be True to Your Groove
- Camp Chippamunka
- Feel Like a Million by Yzma
- Let's Groove by Earth, Wind & Fire
Trivia[]
- "Long ago, somewhere deep in the jungle" is in a different font than in the first film.
- Kuzco and Yzma have very minor roles in the film (almost like cameo appearances).
- Rudy, Chicha, and Chaca aren't referred to by name in the previous movie but are christened as such in this movie.
- When Kronk's father is about to give his thumbs-up, music reminiscent of Lion King's "King of Pride Rock" score can be heard.
- This was the last film to feature the voice of John Fiedler, who died six months before the film's release.
- The only direct-to-video Disney Film where all the voice actors from the first film reprise their roles.
- The toy train Kronk rides on is designed after Casey Junior from Dumbo (1941).
- The film was nominated in 2006 for the following Annie Awards:
- Best Home Entertainment Production
- Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
- Best Writing in an Animated Feature Production
- During the second flashback, Kronk and Birdwell reference the spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp and Tarzan swinging.
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