No cheesy musical numbers. No overly dramatic subplots. No llamas. Oh wait, sorry. It does have a llama. Actually, that's the main character. Relentlessly funny, fast paced, "Emperor's New Groove" is the best film to come out of Disney since the early 90's (excluding the Pixar films).
Kuzco (voiced by David Spade) rules his kingdom how he wants to with little regard for the people in it. After his disgruntled assistant Yzma (Eartha Kitt) turns him into a llama instead of poisoning him, he gets mixed up with a local peasant named Pacha (John Goodman). Now off to find a cure and stop Yzma from taking over the kingdom, the mis-matched pair find themselves in one ridiculous situation after another, all for the single vial of antidote that can turn Kuzco back into a human.
With a ridiculous premise, a Tom Jones cameo, complete lack of overproduced songs, and the some of the wittiest writing in the history of the studio, this brief ride (72-minutes not counting the credits) is absolutely brilliant. Mostly hand drawn with a brief assistance from the computer, this film should go down as a classic. Not a single character in this movie is dull and there is no time to be wasted.
The banter between Kuzco and Pacha as they make their way towards the castle is just priceless. Yzma's (who named these characters anyway?) assistant Kronk (see?) is the show-stealer, though the same could be said for the irritated chipmunk that makes a few hilarious appearances. There are so many memorable moments, it is absolutely impossible to pick a favorite, though the scene in which the two leads are about to go over a waterfall makes a strong case.
Absolutely anyone can and will love this movie. It doesn't need some deep backstory to get going. It's breakneck pace gives the film little time to slow down and become boring. Much like the Toy Story films, this is bound to become one of those movies the kids practically ruin by watching it so many times, but the parents will have no problem with it. They'll probably be right along side their kin every time. (**** out of *****)
This 2-disc edition (called "The Ultimate Groove) is perfect for the kids who want the film and animation buffs who need to know everything about the movie. A direct digital-to-digital 1.66:1 widescreen transfer, this feature looks superb. There are some noticeable compression artifacts, but the video hardly stands still long enough for it to become a major problem. Everything remains sharp and crisp throughout, the beautiful backdrops preserved flawlessly. It's not quite on par with the CG-animated films (not much is of course), but the overall video is solid. (****)
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