Ever noticed how many pigeons look like John Cleese? Me neither.
Valiant (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:106
Fresh:33
Rotten:73
Average Rating:5/10
Consensus: Valiant has a good collection of voice talents, but the story is strictly by-the-numbers.
Theatrical Release:2005
Box Office: $19,355,116
Synopsis: From the producer of "Shrek" and "Shrek 2," comes this high-flying computer-animated comedy-adventure tale of a brave-but-undersized pigeon named Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor), who dreams of... From the producer of "Shrek" and "Shrek 2," comes this high-flying computer-animated comedy-adventure tale of a brave-but-undersized pigeon named Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor), who dreams of joining the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service (RHPS), and serving crown and country during World War II. Despite his small stature, Valiant’s ambitions are enormous as he keeps a stiff upper beak and endures rigorous training in preparation for a dangerous mission to deliver vital messages to troops behind enemy lines. With a shortage of wingpower in the royal fleet due to increased attacks by a brigade of vicious enemy falcons (led by the ruthless General Von Talon), the mission falls to Valiant and the unlikely heroes of "Squad F" to try and save the day. With a wing and a prayer, Valiant and his fine feathered pals fly into harm’s way and prove that it’s not the size of the wingspan that counts, but the size of the spirit. Filled with adventure, comedy and memorable characters, "Valiant" delivers great entertainment for audiences of all ages. John Cleese, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent, and an all-star vocal cast of British favorites also add to the fun and excitement of this imaginative feature. The film was inspired by the fact that pigeons saved thousands of lives during the war, and 31 of the 53 top honors given to animal heroes went to pigeons. [More]
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hugh Laurie, Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hugh Laurie, Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent, John Cleese, John Hurt, Rik Mayall, Olivia Williams, Pip Torrens, Jonathan Ross
Director: Gary Chapman
Director: Gary Chapman
Producer: John H. Williams
Screenwriter: Jordan Katz
Composer: George Fenton
Screenwriter: George Webster, George Melrod
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures
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Reviews for Valiant
Very short and very slight, Valiant still carries a dainty, retro charm amid heavy technology. A fine effort with a sweet message kids will be happy to hear only once.
Aside from some fun voice casting..., the movie is a stodgy and slow affair.
One complaint I have with Valiant is the lack of humor – there is some but not enough for a kids’ animation
Animated pigeons? British wartime humor? Disney? The mixture is ripe for something amiable, if unremarkable. Sadly, the production forgot the amiable part.
'Fall in, featherbrains!' It's a funny, high-flying, family-friendly flick.
Valiant does the job of providing some suitable entertainment for youngsters but not much more.
The movie dashes through its obstacle course plot run with all the refinement of a straight-to-video Rescuers Down Under spin-off.
So $40M will buy you a film good enough for cable...well, that's depressing.
It's a movie that will be good enough, but not memorable or worth seeing again (like a date with me).
No matter how hard the CGI animators try, the idea of Ricky Gervais as a bird is not as funny as the idea of Ricky Gervais as a human being.
Valiant is sadly boring, and while its rote mechanics may function nominally on children, it's going to be a long 76 minutes for the adults.
Lightweight and easily forgotten about once it's over. While it last, though, it is congenial and pleasingly innocuous.
Too inoffensive to engender the hostility once reserved for Howard the Duck.
An unconscionably dreary and amateurish-looking thing, and the rote plot and annoyingly predictable script -- a compendium of bird puns, mostly -- don't work nearly hard enough to make up for the hammy awfulness of the images.
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