All spoilers for The Hunchback of Notre Dame are unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
Made in 2000 but not released until 2002, this direct-to-video sequel to Disney's 1996 blockbuster The Hunchback of Notre Dame was produced by Disneytoon Studios.
Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) falls in love with the beautiful and mysterious Madellaine (Jennifer Love Hewitt), while trying to stop Sarousch (Michael McKean), a thief posing as a magician from stealing a famous bell from the cathedral's belfry.
Tropes
- Art Evolution:
- Inverted, big time. Despite coming out after The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, which set the standard for DTV Disney films going forward. The animation in Hunchback II is usually considered to be some of the worst amongst the Disney sequels along with Aladdin: The Return of Jafar (which can be excused for it being a pilot to the TV series that followed it) and Belle's Magical World. The animation is not as fluid, Notre Dame has a much smaller scope, the colors are a lot duller, and the layouts and camera work are less cinematic and grand. It's especially pronounced compared to the original and its sweeping visuals, complex character animation, and use of digital techniques including CGI and the CAPS painting method (neither of which were used here). That said, there are some moments of fluidity despite the lower quality like with Madelaine's introduction, which comes down to Disney Japan's usual bouncy style; but winds up a detriment in and of itself as it makes everyone move as cartoonishly and rubbery as the gargoyles.
- Also, this is the last Disney production to use hand-painted cel animation.
- Artistic License – Physics: Two of Sarouch's men easily carry an adult elephant.
- Award-Bait Song: I'm Gonna Love You
by Jennifer Love Hewitt. - Becoming the Mask: Madellaine, who initially is friendly to Quasi only to find out information, but comes to love him after he treats her with genuine respect and affection.
- Big Brother Instinct: Quasimodo towards Zephyr. While he is already friendly to kids, this kid in particular is his honorary nephew.
- The Big Damn Kiss: Quasimodo and Madellaine share one at the end of the film, after declaring their love for one another.
- Chekhov's Skill: Madellaine's tightrope walking. Early on she confides to Quasi that she wants to learn it, and he encourages her. At the end, she pulls it off to save Zephyr.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Both of Madellaine's outfits match Quasimodo's - Love Interest ahoy!
- Crisis Makes Perfect: Madellaine struggles with her ambition to become a tightrope walker. At the end, she pulls it off to save Zephyr.
- Crocodile Tears: Sarousch, when he tries to pin the thefts on Madellaine.
- Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Considering how popular his circus is, surely Sarousch doesn't need to commit crimes.
- Demoted to Extra: Clopin has a handful of quick cameos, and isn't involved in the film's plot in any way. His only main role seems to just be directing the love festival.
- Detail-Hogging Cover: The boxart is much more detailed than that of the animation.
- Excuse Plot: The theft of the bell is an excuse to pair Quasimodo with Madelleine.
- Extremely Short Timespan: The movie is set over the course of three days.
- Faux Affably Evil: Sarousch is a very charismatic and flamboyant performer, and for most of the film seems to be a far less threatening antagonist than his predecessor, Frollo. When Madellaine refuses to help him any further, he suddenly drops his charming façade and threatens to have Quasi killed. To say nothing of the climax, where he takes Zephyr hostage.
- Foil: Madellaine is a positive example for Quasi. Both are clumsy and Endearingly Dorky people who have grown up with cruel father figures yet remain good people. Quasi however is a deformed man who has spent his life as a recluse in the bell tower, while Madellaine is a beautiful woman who has traveled the world with the circus.
- Grand Romantic Gesture: One sanctioned by society. Parisians couples publicly declare their love during the festival.
- "I Can't Look!" Gesture: Phoebus has to look away when Sarousch forces him to let him sail away with "La Fidele", on penalty of Sarousch harming his son.
- I Have Your Wife: During the climax, Sarousch uses Zephyr as leverage for the bell.
- Innocently Insensitive: When Phoebus suspects that Madellaine is only using Quasimodo so she can get La Fidele for Sarousch, Quasimodo assumes that Phoebus doesn't think someone could love him for his own merits. Phoebus immediately realizes his error and corrects what he means in a slightly more tactful manner.
- Esmeralda makes several mentions to Quasimodo being "ready" for love, as though he hasn't been ready for a very, very, very long time, and as though he wasn't extremely ready the moment he met her.
- Ironic Echo: Early on, Sarousch tells Madellaine that her job is to "stand around and look pretty", because it's all she's good for. After she saves Zephyr, they have this exchange:Sarousch: What are you doing?Madellaine: Just standing around looking pretty.
- Jaw Drop: A literal one from the Gargoyles at the end. When Madellaine tells them she'll take good care of Quasi and winks at them, making her the first person other than Quasi to notice that they are sentient, causing them extreme shock.
- Lighter and Softer: Than the original movie. The villain here is a thief instead of a sexually repressed Knight Templar bigot.
- Narcissist: Sarousch. He spends most of his screentime admiring himself in his various mirrors, and Phoebus lampshades it after interrogating him: "I'll let you get back to... yourself."
- No Song for the Wicked: Surprisingly, despite being far more flamboyant and dramatic than Frollo, and an actual performer in-universe, Sarousch does not get his own Villain Song.
- Not Allowed to Grow Up: The little girl who was the first to walk up to Quasimodo at the end of the first movie makes a couple of cameos throughout the film. Despite the fact enough time has passed for Phoebus and Esmerelda to have a six-year old son, the little girl looks exactly the same.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder: A small Running Gag is Phoebus asking rhetorical questions to his Silent Snarker horse Achilles, who taps his hoof in response both times.
- First when Phoebus is getting reports on robberies involving the Circus:
Phoebus: A string of robberies begins the moment a circus comes to town. Coincidence? I don't think so. How many times have I ever been wrong?
Achilles: [counts on his hoof; *Tap* *Tap* *Tap*]
Phoebus: Achilles, that was a rhetorical question.- The second time, he reports that the circus is responsible for robberies, which does not delight Quasi or his family (Quasi due to being romantically in love with Madellaine, Esmeralda due to believing that Phoebus still holds prejudice views towards gypsies, and Zephyr due to admiring the circus), and they all angrily leave.
Phoebus: Achilles, do you believe this? Everybody mad at me! How often does that happen?
Achilles: [counts on his hoof; *Tap* *Tap* *Tap*]
Phoebus: Rhetorical! - Sissy Villain: Sarousch speaks in an effeminate manner, is unhealthily obsessed with himself, and poses little to no physical threat, primarily relying on his thugs to do his bidding.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Madellaine is established upfront as a Nice Girl, and during their first meeting, she genuinely gets along with Quasimodo while he speaks to her from the shadows. Despite this, she still runs away in horror after seeing his deformed appearance, and it takes her a while to get over her fear and try approaching him again.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Quasimodo meets (and eventually) falls in love with Madellaine.
- Time Skip: The sequel takes place six years after the first film, mainly evidenced by Phoebus and Esmerelda now having a young son.
- The Unfought: Unlike Frollo, Sarousch never physically engages the heroes in combat, and he and his men are unable to resist when they're finally caught.
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Quasimodo and Madellaine get together in the end.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Sarousch's band of minions from the carnival who he sent out to rob the townspeople are not seen again after they've done his bidding, and no mention is made of whether any of them were arrested after Sarousch was caught.
- Would Hurt a Child: When Zephyr is abducted, Madellaine warns Quasimodo that Sarousch won't hesitate to hurt or even kill the boy to get what he wants.
- You Know I'm Black, Right?: Phoebus unfortunately comes into a bit of conflict with Esmeralda, his Gypsie wife, due to his distaste for carnies in a way that's similar to but not as extreme as Frollo's own distaste for Gypsies.Phoebus: I don't trust these people!
Esmeralda: What does that mean?
Phoebus: Well just look at them! They travel from town to town like..like...
Esmeralda: Gypsies?
Phoebus: Yes!
