It was also the last film to feature the voice of John Fiedler, who died six months before it was released.[1]
Plot
Emperor Kuzco (David Spade) narrates the story about Kronk Pepikrankenitz (Patrick Warburton), now chef and Head Delivery Boy of Mudka's Meat Hut, who is fretting over the upcoming visit of his father. Kronk's father always disapproved of young Kronk's culinary interests and wished that Kronk instead would settle down with a wife and a large house on a hill.
In a flashback, Kronk tells the story of how he almost had both of these. As unwitting accomplice to Yzma (Eartha Kitt) – the villainess of the first film who turned into a cat at the end of the original, but is now human again despite still having a tail – he goes along with her plan to sell sewer slime as a youth potion. He makes enough money to buy the old folks' home from the old folks and put his large new home there. Eventually, Yzma is revealed as a fake and the old folks chase her down and corner her at a bridge over a river full of crocodiles. To prevent them from attacking her, she transforms herself into a rabbit, but is then caught and taken away by a condor. When Kronk realizes the old folks have sold everything they own in return for something which doesn't work, he gives his home back to them.
Kronk, as camp counselor of the Junior Chipmunks at Camp Chippamunka, falls in love with fellow counselor Miss Birdwell (Tracey Ullman); but when one of his Chipmunks, Tipo, pulls a prank to win the camp championships and is caught, Kronk, feeling responsible for the situation (due to having previously told his Chipmunks to do whatever it took to win), protects the boy at the cost of alienating his love.
Kronk's father (John Mahoney) arrives and confusion ensues as several supportive friends try to pass themselves off to him as Kronk's wife and kids. But in the end, Kronk realizes that his wealth is in his friendships, and this finally wins his father's thumbs up and Miss Birdwell's love.
Meanwhile, just outside the house, Yzma is in the condor's nest with two eggs, which hatch and presumably attack her before the credits roll.
The film holds a 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 6 reviews and an average rating of 4.5/10.[2] Pam Gelman of Common Sense Media gave the film two out of five stars, stating that the film's story "is disjointed with unnecessary attempts at humor that are clearly geared for parents".[3] David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews states the main character "works best in small doses; forced to carry an entire movie, Kronk becomes tedious and (unbelievable as it seems) unfunny."[4]
Annie Awards
The film was nominated in 2006 for the following Annie Awards:[5]
Best Home Entertainment Production
Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Best Writing in an Animated Feature Production
References
^Bernstein, Adam. "Actor John Fiedler Dies; Was Piglet's Voice in 'Pooh' Films"Archived 2019-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post. June 28, 2005. Accessed December 15, 2007. "John Fiedler, 80, a stage, film and television actor who excelled at meek or nervous roles and was personally chosen by Walt Disney to play the voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh films, died June 25 at the Lillian Booth Actors' Home in Englewood, N.J."
