Valiant

In 2005, Disney distributed a British film produced by Vanguard Animation and Odyssey Entertainment. Starring Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, John Cleese, Olivia Williams, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie and Tim Curry, Valiant was inspired by true stories of the pigeons that helped in World War II. It made $61.7 million.

In May 1944, a team of Royal Homing Pigeon Service carrier pigeons, headed by Mercury (Cleese) are ambushed by German falcon, Von Talon (Curry). Mercury and the message are taken prisoner. Meanwhile Valiant (McGregor) is a young pigeon who aspires to be a carrier and signs up. They are trained and para-dropped into France to rescue Mercury.

This movie exudes mediocrity. There’s nothing really special about it, but then there’s nothing particularly bad. Except for one thing. Tim Curry as the villain. He’s great in everything he does, even managing to make The Enchanted Christmas someone tolerable. And he’s good here. But it’s an odd casting choice as he’s not exactly German.

But I suppose this film is worth mentioning as it did pave the way for subpar CGI movies in the mid to late 2000s. But for what it’s worth, it could have been a lot worse considering the idea they were working with. But it’s just so bland that it really needed to have been better. 

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