Although most sequels follow the further exploits of their predecessors’ main characters, some take a different path and track the adventures of supporting roles. From Disney, 2004’s Lion King 1 ½ did this, though one could argue it’s a “midquel”, not a sequel, since it takes place in the middle of The Lion King.

No one can question that Kronk’s New Groove acts as a true sequel to 2000’s Emperor’s New Groove, however. The story takes place about a year after the events in the original and follows Kronk (voiced by Patrick Warburton), the muscle-bound former crony of evil genius Yzma (Eartha Kitt).

As was the case with the first movie, this Groove opens with its lead character down on his luck. Kronk tells us that he had it all but let everything get away from him. We learn that Kronk wants nothing more in life than to get a simple “thumb’s up” from his stern Papi (John Mahoney).

Because of this, Kronk lies to Papi and pretends to live in a big house with his wife and kids. In truth, Kronk has no house, wife or kids. Through Groove, we flash back to his attempts to obtain these and the disastrous results before Papi finally arrives.

If nothing else, I have to give Groove credit for its unusual focus. As I noted earlier, sequels don’t usually concentrate on secondary characters like Kronk. If this lousy sequel is any indication, that’s probably a good thing.

On the positive side, Groove brings back all of its original main actors. This means that in addition to Warburton and Kitt, we also find David Spade and John Goodman, the leads from the first flick. We also get some returning supporting talent like Wendie Malick and John Fiedler along with good new actors such as Mahoney and Tracey Ullman.

Don’t expect a lot from Spade or Goodman, unfortunately. They essentially do cameos and don’t play significant roles in the story. I don’t know if they appeared due to a contractual obligation or as a favor, but neither man does any heavy lifting during their brief moments on screen.

This leaves Groove to live or die with Kronk. Unfortunately, it completely sinks. Kronk was a fun character in the original, but he can’t carry a movie on his own. He’s a quirky sidekick, not a leading man, and that factor makes the film drag.

Its absolute lack of inspiration doesn’t help. Expect many of the same lines and gags from the original movie to repeat here, but to much less effect. This Groove retains the wild tone of its predecessor but stays on cruise control with its jokes. Superficially, it seems clever, but too much of the material feels borrowed, and it provokes precious few laughs.

By “precious few”, I mean “none”. I didn’t laugh once during this turgid affair, and I don’t think Kronk’s New Groove ever prompted even a smirk or a grin. I can’t recall the last time a short movie moved so slowly, as I worried this dull and lifeless affair would never end.

Kronk’s New Groove appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.78:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This was a consistently appealing presentation.

No issues with definition occurred, as the movie almost always remained tight. A few wide shots seemed a smidgen soft, but the vast majority of the flick stayed accurate and well-developed. Neither jaggies nor moiré effects materialized, and edge haloes remained absent. Print flaws also failed to appear.

Colors delighted. The movie went with a broad palette that came across as lively and dynamic throughout the film. Blacks looked deep and firm, while low-light elements gave us nice smoothness and clarity. I felt pleased with the transfer.

While the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack of Groove wasn’t as impressive as the visuals, it suited the material well. The soundscape showed reasonably good involvement and opened up as necessary. Much of the flick concentrated on the front channels, but it broadened to the surrounds on more than a few occasions. This gave it a fine sense of place and allowed it to become involving enough.

Sound quality was solid. Music showed nice range and punch, while effects displayed strong accuracy and clarity; bass response was generally positive. Speech seemed concise and distinctive, without any edginess or other issues. Again, the audio never dazzled, but it worked well for the film.

How did the Blu-ray compare to the original 2005 DVD? Audio seemed livelier and richer, while visuals displayed greater accuracy and vivacity. I thought the DVD looked/sounded good, but the Blu-ray proved to be more satisfying.

In the “Games and Activities” area we start with Kronk’s Brain Game. This requires you to pick methods to solve some problems before another visit from Papi. It requires some odd logic but becomes reasonably cute and fun.

Next we get Pyramid Scheme, a trivia game show. It asks questions about the movie. As with “Brain”, it provides a modicum of entertainment. (Unlike “Brain”, though, it doesn’t feature original voice talent. While “Brain” features dialogue from Patrick Warburton, “Pyramid” uses fake Kuzco JP Manoux.)

For a little information about the film’s creation, we move to How to Cook A Movie. Hosted by actor Warburton and directors Elliot M. Bour and Saul Andrew Blinkoff, this seven-minute and 54-second piece includes additional remarks from producer John A. Smith, writer Tom Rogers, actor Eartha Kitt, animation director David Block, and art director Mary Loratell. It rips through the production basics in a hurry, so don’t expect much detail. It acts as a very quick primer for kids, though, and is fine for that purpose. It includes a few fun looks behind the scenes as well, so adults may find some interesting shots.

The Blu-ray disc opens with ads for The Little Mermaid, Monsters University, Iron Man and Hulk: Heroes United and SuperBuddies. Sneak Peeks throws in promos for Radio Disney, Disney Infinity, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

If you hope to find the sense of manic fun contained in The Emperor’s New Groove within the 75 minutes of Kronk’s New Groove, expect to walk away disappointed. The sequel features the same form of comedy but provokes absolutely none of the original’s charm or humor. This is a deadly dull and limp film. The Blu-ray offers terrific visuals and good audio but lacks notable supplements. While the movie looks and sounds good, it remains a dud.

Note that Kronk’s New Groove can be purchased only as part of a two-movie collection. The Blu-ray also comes with the original Emperor’s New Groove as well as DVD copies of both films.

To rate this film, visit the original review of KRONK'S NEW GROOVE