"THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE"
(2000) (voices of David Spade, John Goodman) (G)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
*None	Minor	Extreme	*Moderate	Mild
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Minor	None	Moderate	None	None
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Minor	Minor	None	Mild	*Moderate

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QUICK TAKE:

Animated Comedy: A humble peasant tries to help an arrogant and insensitive emperor, who's been changed into a llama by his high priestess, return to his palace before she completely usurps his throne.

PLOT:

In a remote jungle land long ago, Kuzco (voice of DAVID SPADE) is the young, arrogant and insensitive emperor who's focused only on himself. His latest selfish endeavor is to build a summer retreat on a hill currently occupied by Pacha (voice of JOHN GOODMAN) and his peasant family. His only real problem is with Yzma (voice of EARTHA KIT), his older high priestess who enjoys filling in for him in his absence, usually without his permission.

When Kuzco catches her doing this one too many times, he decides to fire her, but this only increases her quest for his throne. As such, she has her hulky and easily distracted, right-hand man, Kronk (voice of PATRICK WARBURTON), poison the emperor, who has no heirs, so that she can become the empress.

Unfortunately, Kronk uses the wrong potion and instead of Kuzco ending up dead, he turns into a talking llama. Shocked at this turn of events, Yzma orders Kronk to kill this aberration. While attempting to do just that, however, Kronk has a change of heart and Kuzco then inadvertently ends up on Pacha's cart with that peasant unknowingly taking the llama back to his home, where his wife, Chicha (voice of WENDIE MALICK) and their two young children await him.

It doesn't take long, however, for both Pacha and Kuzco to discover what's happened, and the emperor -- in llama form and unaware of the treachery in his ranks -- orders Pacha to return him to the palace. Pacha agrees to do so, but only if Kuzco agrees to build his summer home somewhere else so as not to displace his and others' families.

Still self-centered, Kuzco refuses, but soon realizes that he'll truly need Pacha's help to make it back to the palace. From that point on, Pacha tries to do just that, all while avoiding Yzma and Kronk who are determined to finish off the emperor before he has a chance to regain his throne.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're into Disney's animated films, that's a definite yes.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: G

For not containing material to warrant a higher rating.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

Whether kids view animated characters as role models is debatable, but here's a quick look at the major ones.

KUZCO is the arrogant and self-centered emperor who doesn't care about anyone but himself or how his decisions will impact the lives of others, including Pacha, whose family will be displaced by his upcoming summer retreat. Mean and snidely disrespectful to others, he eventually changes his ways when he realizes he needs Pacha's help and then notices the peasant's selflessness when doing so.

PACHA is that peasant who tries to help the emperor even after he attempts to renege on his promises not to build a summer retreat that will displace his and others' families.

YZMA is the emperor's conniving and traitorous high priestess who conspires to kill the emperor so that she can become empress of the land.

KRONK is her somewhat dimwitted and easily distracted henchman who follows her orders, at least for the most part, but actually is an okay guy with his heart in the right place.

CHICHA is Pacha's strong-willed and confident wife.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a quick look at the content found in this G-rated, animated comedy. Despite that rating, a few moments - of action/adventure and/or potential peril -- are present that might be unsettling, suspenseful or even possibly scary to some younger kids, all depending on their age, level of maturity and tolerance for such material.

Various instances of action-oriented and slapstick style violence are present (characters hitting or knocking others about, both purposefully and accidentally), while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including some comically murderous ones). A few imitative phrases are present, as is a tiny bit of sexually related material (a man giving another man a "thumbs up" after seeing the rear end of a person he believes to be the second man's wife, and an older woman raising her dress, but we then see she's doing so only to access a knife located above her knee).

Beyond that and a scene where a character sucks the gooey underbelly contents of a cooked beetle that's been served to him in a restaurant, the rest of the film's categories have little or nothing in the way of major objectionable content. Nevertheless, should you still be concerned about the film and its appropriateness for anyone in your home, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed content listings for more specific examples of what occurs in the film.

For those concerned with the repetitive flashing of bright lights, some brief instances of that occur in several scenes.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Kronk fixes drinks for himself, Yzma and Kuzco (with poison being added for the latter), but we're never aware of the content of the original beverages.

BLOOD/GORE

Pacha and Kuzco are served some baked beetles (with hard, curved shells and soft, steaming bellies). Pacha then digs in and sucks the gooey looking guts out of one of the beetles, grossing out Kuzco.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Kuzco has an elitist, aristocratic attitude toward everyone and doesn't care that plans for his summer retreat will displace Pacha's family and others. He does eventually change his ways, however, by the end of the film.

Kuzco is disrespectful to a lineup of women who've been selected as candidates to be his bride (telling one that he assumes she has a great personality - presumably because of her looks).

Yzma schemes to usurp control from Kuzco (and stands in for him without his permission or knowledge) and even orders Kronk to poison him (but that backfires and turns Kuzco into a llama instead).

Pacha tells his wife a white lie about his meeting with the Emperor (he tells her it didn't happen so that he doesn't have to tell her that they're about to be displaced).

Kuzco throws an acorn back at a squirrel that just gave it to him in a friendly gesture.

Kuzco shakes Pacha's hand in agreeing not to displace Pacha's family, but does so knowing that he's lying and saying that only so that Pacha will lead him back to the palace. He also refuses to help Pacha when he falls through a suspension bridge and appears trapped.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Although most of what's listed here is intended to be seen as funny and/or adventurous, it's possible that some younger kids might find it unsettling, suspenseful or even scary (but that all depends on their age, level of maturity and tolerance for such material).

After being warned not to do so, Kuzco (in llama form) tries to walk back to the palace, through the jungle, by himself. As some slightly suspenseful music plays, he starts to get a little nervous and then hears and sees some rustling in the plants and expects the worse (but it's only a squirrel). He then falls down into a lair of sleeping jaguars that moments later suddenly awaken and chase him through the jungle (they look menacing and ferocious with their sharp teeth, claws and glowing eyes), eventually cornering him on a narrow precipice (but Pacha saves him).

Pacha and Kuzco find themselves tied to a log that's fallen into some rapids and headed for a tall waterfall (that it goes over). Some kids may find a scene waiting for them to surface as a bit tense.

While crossing a suspended bridge, Pacha falls through the wooden planks and finds himself precariously hanging in some cables. The same then happens to Kuzco, then the bridge starts to fall apart, and they fall down a ravine, eventually finding themselves stuck in a small rock wedge, just above some crocodiles that have gathered below them. They then try to walk their way up the wedge (back to back with their feet on the opposing walls) and grab a rope in order to get to safety. During this, a number of scorpions land first on Kuzco and then down Pacha's shirt, and a bunch of glowing-eyed bats flies out toward Kuzco when his head gets stuck in opening to their cave.

Moments later, Pacha nearly falls off part of a cliff that breaks away beneath him, but Kuzco saves him.

A big chase scene breaks out, ending with Pacha hanging precariously from a ledge on the palace while Kuzco must choose between saving him and the vial necessary to turn him back into a human.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Knife: Given to Kronk by Yzma to use on Pacha and Kuzco (but he doesn't).

Spears/Clubs: Carried by various members of the royal guard.

Poison: Used by Kronk in an effort to kill Kuzco (working on orders from Yzma, but the potion turns out not to be poison after all).

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Loser," "Don't know, don't care," "I hate you," "Toodles" (for "goodbye") and "Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh huh" (Kuzco's repeated victory verse in one scene).

Kronk (on orders from Yzma) puts poison in Kuzco's drink in an attempt to kill him (but then forgets which drink it's in, and it turns out not to be poison after all).

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A moderate amount of suspenseful/ominous music (along with some of the adventurous variety) plays during the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

None.

SEX/NUDITY

With Kuzco in llama form and disguised as a woman in a dress, a miscellaneous man looks at the "woman's" rear end as he/she passes by and then smiles and gives the thumbs up to Pacha whom he believes to be the "woman's" husband.

Yzma tells Kuzco and Pacha, "I bet you weren't expecting this" as she starts to hike her dress up above her knee. The two cringe at what they expect to see, but it only turns out to be a knife that she gives to Kronk.

SMOKING

A miscellaneous short order cook appears to have an unlit cigarette in his mouth (or something resembling that).

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

How Kuzco eventually changes his ways once he realizes how he's been acting and how Pacha selflessly helps him.

VIOLENCE

Despite some of the involved characters' intentions, most of what's listed here is played for straight and/or slapstick style comedy.

Kuzco unknowingly opens two large doors, presumably smashing guards back into walls with both.

We briefly see an old man flying out of a high palace window (for throwing off the Emperor's groove - we neither see the actual throwing act or where that man lands, but later see that he's okay).

Kronk tries to whack a flying bug that's landed on his head, but ends up just knocking himself silly.

Kronk tries jumping backwards to catch an edible treat, but we then hear him land with a loud thud on the floor.

Yzma uses a large mallet to smash stone heads on a post while mad about Kuzco firing her.

Yzma slaps a crocodile that follows her into a room and has ahold of her (it then leaves and the scene isn't played to be scary).

Kronk hits Kuzco (from now on in the form of a llama) over the head with a bowl, knocking him out.

While carrying Kuzco in a bag, Kronk accidentally steps on a cat's tail and then tumbles down a flight of stairs.

Kuzco throws an acorn back at a squirrel that just gave it to him in a friendly gesture.

Kuzco is unconscious after going over a waterfall tied to a large trunk. Once he comes to, he throws a small rock that hits Pacha (but then acts like someone else threw it).

Yzma kicks the royal costumer off a tall platform (we don't see the impact on the floor below).

While both are hanging beneath a suspension bridge, Pacha punches Kuzco who then kicks him. Pacha then swings back and smashes Kuzco into a rocky cliff. We then see them fighting some more with punching, biting and ear pulling, etc.

Surprised by the sudden sight of Kuzco, Pacha's wife hits him on the head with a frying pan, momentarily knocking him silly.

After a rapid-fire series of adventurous events, Yzma inadvertently ends up in place of a piņata (looking somewhat like one due to what's happened to her) and some kids start beating her with a stick (thinking she's the piņata).

Kuzco kicks a crocodile (just like Yzma did in an above scene).

Kronk cuts a line holding a large, circular and metal candleholder that falls and nearly hits Yzma (he was trying to hit her with it).

Yzma jumps on Pacha's back and bangs him on the head as they try to get control of a vial. Kuzco then knocks a person back into a wall.

Yzma lands on top of Kuzco and Pacha and then pushes them aside.

Turned into a cat, Yzma lands on a trampoline and then goes flying back into the sky, only to bang her head on an overhang. Kronk then opens a trap door and unknowingly slams Yzma (as the cat) into a wall.

Reviewed December 9, 2000 / Posted December 15, 2000

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