A comedy, yes, but also a young man's odyssey

Rating: Null/10 (31 March 2001)

"The Emperor's New Groove" is not like other Disney animated classics. Where's the romance, for one thing? The falling in love at first sight, the instant standard love song? In this film, friendship is the emphasized relationship. It's a buddy flick.
The film takes place around the time of the Incan empire, but don't expect historical accuracy. This film is to Incan history what "The Flintstones" is to prehistory.
The films is more irreverent and quirky than any of its Disney predecessors. Still, I took seriously the odyssey of Kuzco, the emperor-turned-llama. This handsome young man is arrogant and selfish, yet one doesn't hate him. One senses deep down he has the potential to be a good person if he can just get over his spoiled upbringing. It may take the trial of turning into a beast, a la Disney's "Beauty and the Beast", to get him to take a good look at himself. But will he learn? This film kept me guessing. On the one hand, it would be a shame is he learned nothing from his trials. But on the other hand--this is a quirky and irreverent film, if you remember. Perhaps the filmmakers would consider it the ultimate joke if after all he'd been through, Kuzco learned nothing. See it for yourself to find which road Kuzco chooses.