Valiant (2005)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Gary Chapman

Writers:

George Webster (story)
Jordan Katz (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 August 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | War

Tagline:

Meet the Flockers

Plot:

Set in 1944, Valiant is a woodland pigeon who wants to become a great hero someday. When he hears they...

Plot Keywords:

Pigeon | Falcon | Cartoon Mouse | Presumed Dead | Friendship

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ewan McGregor	...	Valiant (voice)
Ricky Gervais	...	Bugsy (voice)
Tim Curry	...	Von Talon (voice)
Jim Broadbent	...	Sergeant (voice)
Hugh Laurie	...	Gutsy (voice)
John Cleese	...	Mercury (voice)
John Hurt	...	Felix (voice)
Pip Torrens	...	Lofty (voice)
Rik Mayall	...	Cufflingk (voice)
Olivia Williams	...	Victoria (voice)
Jonathan Ross	...	Big Thug (voice)
Brian Lonsdale	...	Toughwood (voice)
Dan Roberts	...	Tailfeather (voice)
Michael Schlingmann	...	Underlingk (voice)
Sharon Horgan	...	Charles De Girl

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Philippines:G | Portugal:M/6 | Taiwan:GP | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Netherlands:6 | Australia:G | Ireland:G | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | USA:G | Singapore:G | Norway:7 | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | Czech Republic:U

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Vanguard Animation

Trivia:

Over 200 artists from 41 different countries worked on the film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the movie members of the French Resistance, play "Non, je ne regrette rien" sung by Édith Piaf. However World War II was over twelve years before the song was even written.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lofty: [seeing Valiant & Bugsy] For a, quote, 'elite unit', unquote, they seem to be letting in anything with wings
[to Bugsy]
Lofty: , including those flies circling your bottom.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross: (#13.14)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien

Absolutely Beautiful Visuals, But Story Needed More Humor

I can see where this Disney animated feature film really never made it big-time. It offers some really good things but overall, it just isn't funny enough to be a hit.

It certainly has the visuals to be a smash. Man, this is a beautiful film. The colors are bold and brilliant, scene after scene. It's a visual feast. For that reason alone, I give it seven "stars."

Some of the humor is funny and very clever, but not enough of it. The story is a takeoff on old World War II films which kids will never "get." Too much of the gags involve slapstick as one of the pigeons flies into a wall or falls down, making a loud noise or that "Bugsy" belches and farts a lot. That happens frequently and wears thin fast. The laughs come more with the subtle stuff.

Story-wise, it's the usual little guy or misfits-being-heroes story, so common in films. Valiant is the little pigeon who really shouldn't even be in the Royal Homing Pigeon Service because he's too little, but he gets in, along with his aforementioned smelly friend "Bugsy" and then inspires everyone while also wooing a pretty nurse.

Once again, though: hats off to the artists. This is one beautiful-looking animated movie.