Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

The Emperor's New Groove

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Fun, goofy cartoon misrepresents Incan culture.

Movie G 2000 78 minutes
The Emperor's New Groove Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 6+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Isaiah L.
Isaiah L. Adult
June 28, 2023
age 5+

Great Movie

I would not be hesitant to watch this movie. It is great and I've watched it with my 4 year old. He loves it and thinks it hilarious. The are like 3 spots with some language like "I'll kill you" but other wise totally kid appropriate! Great movie, would recommend!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
3 people found this helpful.
SVB79
SVB79 Parent of 7, 11 and 13-year-old
April 13, 2020
age 7+

Don't Waste your Time.

As far as Disney movies go, this one was a waste of time. The animation is lousy (think of 90s style "Animaniacs") and story is dull and the "funny" parts aren't that funny. My 8 year old laughed once. My 11 and 13 year olds were almost bored to tears. There's nothing objectionable about the content. It's basically a 2nd rate tale about how the emperor is a self centered egotist that learns a bit of humility. The only redeeming feature of the film is the voice of John Goodman. Otherwise, take your 1 hour and 22 minutes elsewhere.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE follows the story of spoiled emperor Kuzco (voiced by David Spade). When Kuzco dismisses his advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt), she decides to poison him. Her dim but muscular sidekick Kronk (Patrick Warburton) accidentally gives Kuzco the wrong potion, and instead of being killed, he's turned into a llama. Kuzco needs to get help from a peasant named Pacha (John Goodman) to get his body and his kingdom back, and the pair embark on a wild adventure in which they go over a rushing waterfall, get covered with scorpions, are cornered by jaguars, and get chased by Yzma and Kronk.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (43 ):

Fast, fun, and funny, this film deserves to be taken out of the rarified category of "animation" and called what it is: a cartoon. The Emperor's New Groove has more in common with classic Warner Brothers toons like Bugs Bunny and Road Runner than with Disney animation classics. That said, it's important to note that while the film offers a story inspired by Inca culture, it's not a faithful historical representation. There are anachronisms, such as a restaurant on the road and a fantastic vision of the emperor's palace.

Unlike other animated adventures, this story has no perky heroine singing about her dreams, no adorable animal sidekicks, no soulful romantic duet. In fact, there's no love interest at all. It's pure nonstop action and comedy, with a kind of freewheeling, even improvisational tone that's refreshing to watch. The movie even spoofs itself, along with other movies from The Fly to The Wizard of Oz.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the main character's transformation in The Emperor's New Groove, both physically and mentally. How do you think Kuzco's animal transformation helps him become a better person?

  • This movie about Inca culture was written and directed by White men and has no Latino voice actors. Do you think lived experience is necessary to tell an accurate, cultural story? How might the inclusion of Latino talent have influenced or changed The Emperor's New Groove?

  • Why do you think a character like Kuzco thinks all people are selfish, while a character like Pacha finds good in everyone? How do these very different characters learn to trust each other?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate