The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
A Disney original story.
Intro song (“Perfect World”). Incan emperor Kuzco is arrogant, entitled, and pampered, has no patience for the needs of others, especially peasants, and abuses his position of power. For his 18th birthday, Kuzco plans to demolish a local village to build a lavish summer mansion—"Kuzcotopia"—against the objections of the village's leader, Pacha. After he fires Yzma, a sorceress and his conniving advisor, for trying to run the country behind his back, she plots to usurp the throne by poisoning Kuzco. Instead, she and her dimwitted but kindhearted assistant Kronk accidentally give him the wrong vial that transforms him into a llama. Yzma orders Kronk to knock Kuzco unconscious, then dispose of him, but a discussion with a shoulder angel Kronk and shoulder devil Kronk and a stroke of conscience prevents Kronk from doing the latter, and instead leaves him on a cart, which turns out to be Pacha’s.
Kuzco is inadvertently taken by Pacha to his village and family, where he orders Pacha to take him back to the palace. Pacha refuses to help Kuzco unless he changes his mind and builds Kuzcotopia elsewhere. Refusing the deal, Kuzco heads off to the jungle alone, offends a squirrel, and is attacked by a pack of jaguars. Pacha arrives in time to rescue Kuzco, who reluctantly accepts Pacha's terms to escort him home. Kuzco wins Pacha over by saying he will build Kuzcotopia elsewhere but unbeknownst to Pacha, Kuzco plans to go back on his word. While crossing a bridge to reach the palace, Pacha falls from the bridge and is tangled in vines. Kuzco reveals that he was going to betray Pacha all along but also falls through the bridge and is tangled. The two fight, causing the bridge to collapse and the two are stuck between two sides of a cliff with a swamp of alligators below. The two learn to cooperate to get out of their situation and earn one another's good side. With the bridge out, it will take 4 days for the two to reach the palace. Meanwhile, Yzma, now empress, learns that Kronk did not eliminate Kuzco and sets out to find him. The duos arrive at an eatery at the same time, completely unaware of the others' presence. Pacha overhears Yzma's plans and Kronk nearly recognizes Pacha. When Pacha tries to warn Kuzco about Yzma, Kuzco brushes him off, causing Pacha to leave, only to then overhear Yzma's machinations about himself.
Alone, lost, and realizing no one in the empire miss him because of his selfishness, Kuzco glumly resigns himself to the life of a llama, but comes across Pacha and the two reconcile. Meanwhile, Kronk finally recalls Pacha and his connection to Kuzco. He and Yzma await them at Pacha's home, posing as distant family members. Pacha has his family delay Yzma, giving him and Kuzco a headstart back to the capital. They reach Yzma's secret lab to grab some potions and encounter a furious Yzma about to kill Kuzco. She orders Kronk to finish him off, but he can't bring himself to do so, causing Yzma to dispose of him. While fleeing Yzma and the palace guards, Kuzco attempts all the potions until there are two left; Yzma accidentally lands on one of the two and turns into a small kitten. Despite the transformation, she, Kuzco and Pacha struggle for the final vial, but Yzma is unexpectedly foiled by Kronk, and Kuzco drinks it, finally reverting him to his human form.
Now completely changed, Kuzco makes amends with those he offended and regains his throne, while also opting to build his summer home, a modest shack, on an unoccupied hill next to Pacha's house, complete with a swimming pool that he shares with Pacha's family. Elsewhere, Kronk has become a scout leader and trains new recruits how to speak squirrel, including the reluctant Yzma, who remains in cat form while serving in Kronk's troop (“My Funny Friend and Me”).
TRIVIA
The original story was called Kingdom of the Sun and was a new take on The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain with a soundtrack composed by Sting. However due to the lack of progress in production, the whole film needed to be reworked in order to meet deadlines or risk being completely shut down. This resulted in a new story which resulted in much of the soundtrack being discarded since it did not fit with the plot anymore.
Visual Style
The setting and culture of The Emperor's New Groove are based on the Inca Empire that developed into what is now modern-day Peru. Along with the architecture, roads, intricate waterworks, sun worship, and llamas as domestic beasts,
Names and imagery mingle elements of Incan culture with elements from pre-Incan Peruvian cultures and non-Incan cultures of Central and South America.
While the animators made a research trip to Peru for inspiration, the film and its publicity are notably non-specific about the geographical or historical setting of the story.