Kronk's New Groove
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Cast: Patrick Warburton, David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Wendy Malick
Extras: Featurette, Games
Rating:
With their commitment to create more direct-to-DVD content, Walt Disney Home Video has now prepared a sequel to the funny and entertaining "The Emperor's New Groove." Instead of focusing on more adventures around emperor Kuzco, this time, however, the story revolves around the ever-fumbling Kronk.
After leaving his evil days as Yzma's sidekick behind Kronk (Patrick Warburton) is now a cook at a local restaurant. One day his father announces himself for a surprise visit and Kronk is falling to pieces because he never managed to prove his worth to his dad. Desperately he tries to create the impression for his father that his no-good son has become a valuable citizen in his village.
Most of the voice cast form the original movie has returned for this sequel, including David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Wendy Malick, and of course Patrick Warburton. They easily manage to give the characters depth and vitality as the story unfolds, exploring Kronk's memories in an episodic fashion.
Presented in a 1.78:1 widescreen transfer that is enhanced for16x9 TV sets, the image is absolutely clean and clear and without any blemishes. Edges are sharp and nicely delineated and free of edge-enhancement and its distracting effects. Colors are storng and vibrant, bringing out the best of the colorful film.
A 5.1 channel Dolby Digital audio track accompanies the presentation, as well as an optional DTS track. Both are well produced with a wide frequency response and good dynamic range. The result is an active soundtrack with great bass extension that always sounds natural and works for best effect, including the great music in the film.
A few extras have been included in the release, such as the featurette "How To Cook A Movie," as viewers go behind the scenes of the making of the film. A number of games and activities are also included, such as a trivia game and "Kronk's Brain Game."
At 75-minutes "Kronk's New Groove" is a tad short but overall an entertaining little film nonetheless. For a direct-to-DVD release its quality is very good and recommended, but the price tag attached to the release is a bit steep at $29.98.
