The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

All Critics (127) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (115) | Rotten (19) | DVD (30)

Ingenious action sequences driven by surprisingly little plot lead to a climax full of the transmogrification animation was invented for.

November 16, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Emperor doesn't aim too high or strain too hard; it is at ease inhabiting its pretty, miniature realm.

September 8, 2008 Full Review | Comment

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

The unfussy, tossed-off quality actually helps give this original story zippy irreverence some of Disney's plusher cartoons lack.

March 31, 2008 Full Review | Comment

David Ansen

Newsweek

Top Critic

Will the kids buy it? You bet they will.

April 5, 2002 Full Review | Comment

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

Funky, funny and free of ersatz Broadway cheese.

December 15, 2000 Full Review | Comment

Geoff Pevere

Toronto Star

Top Critic

An audience dominated by young children was disconcertingly quiet during a preview screening.

December 15, 2000 Full Review | Comment

Susan Stark

Detroit News

Top Critic

More fun, goofy cartoon antics than Disney polish.

August 3, 2010 Full Review | Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

[The] lightest and wackiest of all Disney features.

December 6, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

At times it was too fluffy, especially the ending.

April 29, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Groove boasts some innovative tricks and sharp performances. Oh, and not too many songs. Phew.

September 8, 2008 Full Review | Comment

Daniel Etherington

Film4

The arc of the story may be predictable, but it's balanced out by some marvelously unpredictable flashes of visual comedy, all very much in the style of Chuck Jones in his prime.

August 7, 2008 Full Review | Comment

Bob Grimm

Sacramento News & Review

This Disney comedy makes a self-conscious and largely successful attempt to modernise the studio's format with a jive-ass sensibility.

June 24, 2006 Full Review | Comment

Wally Hammond

Time Out

...a surprisingly entertaining and awfully funny piece of work.

December 18, 2005 Full Review | Comment

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

At its heart, this is a buddy comedy that works on all levels.

December 6, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Chris Gore

Film Threat

It's a special New Groove DVD Edition that features groovy new extra

November 26, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Michael Szymanski

International Press Academy

Brilliant all around.

November 23, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Tony Whitt

Now Playing Magazine

The film ranks among the studio's fresher undertakings.

November 4, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Christopher Smith

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

It is not vintage Disney, to be sure, but it beats most anything on the Cartoon Channel.

October 30, 2005 Full Review | Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Yzma and Kronk kick the comedy *** of Timone and Pumba.

October 23, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Joshua Tyler

CinemaBlend.com

Deep down, I'd like to believe that this film will be remembered years from now as one of the better animated films to emerge from this decade.

October 20, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

Lickety-split banter between brilliantly conceived characters, chase scenes that leave you breathless with laughter and surprise ... this is a whole new ballgame for Disney.

December 6, 2004 Full Review | Comment

Jeffrey Overstreet

Looking Closer

It looks like director Mark Dindal has been watching a lot of Chuck Jones lately.

June 5, 2003 Full Review | Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

• 1. Pacha: [explaining the plan to his wife] So we have to get him back to the palace, find the lab and change him back.
  2. Kuzko: [appears in window suddenly] Hi there! [startles Chica who responds by slamming a pan into Kuzko's face]
  3. Pacha: Uh... that was him.
  4. Chica: Whoops.
  – Submitted by John R (2 months ago)
• 1. Pacha: [sees waterfall] Uh oh.
  2. Kuzko: [nonchalantly] Don't tell me, we're about to go over a huge waterfall.
  3. Pacha: [nonchalantly] Yep.
  4. Kuzko: Sharp rocks at the bottom?
  5. Pacha: Most likely.
  6. Kuzko: Bring it on.
  – Submitted by John R (2 months ago)
• 1. Yzma: Pull the lever, Kronk.
  2. Kronk: [Pulls the lever, openeing a trap door in which Yzma falls]
  3. Yzma: Wrong lever! [walks through a stone door, wet and with a crocodile on her leg] Why do we even have that lever? [kicks the croc away]
  4. Kuzko: [later in the film Kuzko walks out of the same place with a crocodile on his leg] 'Okay, why does she even have that lever?!
  – Submitted by John R (3 months ago)
• 1. Yzma: [recently transformed into a cat, vial in hand] Looking for this? [surprised] Is that my voice?! Is that MY voice?! Oh well.
  2. Kuzko: No, no! Don't drop it!
  3. Yzma: I'm not going to drop it, you fool! I'm going to drink! And once I turn back into my beautiful self I'm going to KILL YOU! [diabolical laughter]
  – Submitted by Kris R (5 months ago)
• 1. Yzma: [trapped in closet] Alright! I've had enough! Tell us where the talking llama is and we'll burn your house to the ground.
  2. Kronk: Um, don't you mean 'or'?
  3. Yzma: [irritated] Tell us where the talking llama is OR we will burn your house to the ground.
  4. Chaca: Well, which one? Both seem like a pretty crucial conjunction.
  – Submitted by Kris R (5 months ago)