Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.5

Kronk's New Groove Blu-ray Movie Review

"We're out of spoons! I'm doomed!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 3, 2013

Disney is well aware of the appeal and reach of its catalog, down to the best and worst films in its canon. Titles like Cinderella and Peter Pan arrive separately and to great fanfare, while other titles shuffle onto shelves en masse, sans the red-carpet treatment afforded their Platinum and Diamond Edition brethren. In August 2012, it was The Aristocats, The Rescuers, The Rescuers Down Under, Pocahontas, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, The Tigger Movie and Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure, all released on the same day. Earlier this year, in March, it was The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, Mulan, Mulan II, Brother Bear and Brother Bear 2. And now animation fans can add six more movies to their Blu-ray collection with Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Atlantis 2: Milo's Return, Lilo & Stitch, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, The Emperor's New Groove and Kronk's New Groove.

But something is amiss this go around. Once again, the original films and their direct-to-video sequels are paired on single BD-50 discs. This time, though, only Atlantis includes special features on the Blu-ray disc itself. Extras for Lilo & Stitch and The Emperor's New Groove (and their sequels) are relegated to the bonus DVD copies in each 2-Movie set. Moreover, video and audio are vastly improved, but the transfers suffer from a number of (admittedly minor) issues. Combined with the displaced extras, it's hard to miss Disney's diminishing standards. Packing a 2-Movie Collection on a single disc is becoming more and more important to the studio; more important than delivering the fullest, most intuitive experience.

And the films? The theatrically released features are as divisive as ever. Some will find them decidedly desperate and unimaginative; a pale imitation of the Disney Renaissance greats. Others, like myself, will find a few flawed but fun, and one -- Lilo & Stitch -- a bonafide classic, seeing the trio as a not-so-distant spiritual extension to those same Renaissance classics. The direct-to-video sequels, though, aren't nearly as polished or entertaining on the whole, making the 2-Movie Collections hit or miss pairings primed to placate longtime fans and underwhelm the unconverted.

Had Kronk's New Groove been about old habits dying hard, there might be more to say about Disney's direct-to-video sequel than, "eh, s'alright." More a bloated, 72-minute bonus short than a full-fledged followup to The Emperor's New Groove, the origin and further adventures of Yzma's henchman-turned-hero has a few laughs but quickly descends into aimlessness. Not that it had much potential to begin with. The first film was already too heavy on villainy; trailing after Kronk, lovable lug though he may be, doesn't offer much in the way of villainy but spends far too much time with a character better served in small helpings. It's even more disappointing with the original cast in tow, Spade and Goodman included. Animation offers near-unlimited possibilities, and yet we're handed a feature-length diversion instead of anything more substantial.

Warburton does what he can with what he's given, as does Kitt, Tracey Ullman, Wendie Malick, John Mahoney and an unexpectedly accomplished roster of supporting voices, new and old. The script simply isn't there, the jokes are tired and worn, the animation is a step down from its big screen counterpart, and the entire experience is groomed for children, and young children at that. Never mind the parents in the room who enjoyed The Emperor's New Groove, or older kids looking for something more than an early morning Disney Channel special. And it amounts to little more. Unremarkable and wholly forgettable, it's a mildly entertaining bonus feature at its best, a complete letdown at its worst. There are better ways to spend an hour -- even in Disney's already mediocre direct-to-video sequel canon -- and far better ways to spend a movie night with the family.

Kronk's New Groove Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Disney's 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation is decent enough, even though it falls prey to some of the same issues as its predecessor. There's a bit of banding here, a spot of aliasing there, and a crispness that both elevates and betrays the sequel's on-the-cheap source. Line art is sharp but prone to ringing, and the otherwise pristine image isn't free of anomalies by any means; some inherent, some not. Still, the movie is fittingly bright and colorful, with splashes of primary vibrance and satisfying blacks. There isn't a sliver of softness or a dusting of noise either, and this is most likely about as good as it will ever get.

Kronk's New Groove Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Relatively flat and front-heavy, Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track provides a solid presentation of the sequel's sound design, without much in the way of issues or memorable moments. Dialogue is clean and intelligible, the soundscape is well supported, and LFE output is decent, particularly considering the featherweight story it clings to. The rear speakers have some welcome fun, inconsequential as it is, and the small-screen sonic experience delivers on the few promises it makes. No real complaints here; no high praise either.

Kronk's New Groove Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 2-Movie Collection release of The Emperor's New Groove / Kronk's New Groove is a 3-disc set. However, in what has now become Disney's practice, the feature films are housed on a single BD-50, with two standard DVDs -- one for each movie -- rounding out the set. It's far from perfect; some will deem it convenient, others an irritation.

Unfortunately, Kronk's New Groove includes limited bonus material, all of which is relegated to the DVD copy of the film.

Kronk's New Groove Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kronk's New Groove is disposable children's entertainment, nothing more. It misses almost every opportunity that comes its way, and the majority of returning cast members are reduced to supporting players, which is a grave mistake. The Blu-ray edition is better, thanks to a solid AV presentation, but there isn't a lot of value here, save the fact that the sequel is attached to The Emperor's New Groove.