User:Footsies/sandbox/Valiant

Valiant is a 2005 British–American computer-animated epic adventure comedy film produced by Vanguard Animation, Ealing Studios, and Odyssey Entertainment, and released by Entertainment Film Distributors in the United Kingdom on March 25, 2005 and by Disney films|Walt Disney Pictures]] in the United States on August 19, 2005. Set in May of the year 1944, it tells the story of a group of war pigeons during World War II. The film is based on a story by George Webster and inspired by true stories of hundreds of pigeons that helped the soldiers in the war.

Plot
As the Allies prepare for the D-Day Invasion, a pigeon named Valiant (Ewan McGregor) wants to contribute to the war effort. With carrier pigeons being decimated by German falcon Von Talon (Tim Curry), the understaffed Royal Homing Pigeon Corps accepts pint-sized Valiant and his shady friend, Bugsy (Ricky Gervais). After surviving training, Valiant is sent on a dangerous assignment to rescue Mercury (John Cleese), a messenger bird taken prisoner by the Nazis.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Lackluster animation, even for Vanguard standards.
 * 2) Hard-to-follow story.
 * 3) There are subplots about the Cold War, the Space Race, and the Nazis. Kids are very unlikely to know what those things are.
 * 4) Generic soundtrack.
 * 5) Uninteresting characters.
 * 6) There is some toilet humor in this movie, which is not suitable for a war film.
 * 7) Plot Hole: When Valiant enters the lair through the barrel of the gun, he has to take his helmet and suit off, but when he, Bugsy, and Mercury are leaving, the helmet and suit are gone.
 * 8) At one point Charles De Girl says "Fly English pigeons, fly!" but Valiant is a Scottish pigeon.

Good Qualities

 * 1) The casting is pretty well crafted.
 * 2) It has a strong message about courage and not giving up.
 * 3) Decent voice acting, despite talents being wasted.

Reception
Valiant received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and audiences alike, and currently holds a 31% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 112 reviews, and a general consensus that states: "Valiant has a good collection of voice talents, but the story is strictly by-the-numbers." IMDb gave it a 5.5/10 as well as a 45 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "mixed or average reviews."

Box Office
The film did business of $19,478,106 in the U.S. and $42,268,782 internationally. This gives it a worldwide total of $61,746,888. Although it wasn't a box office flop, the film held the record for lowest box office of a CGI animated film, until its record was later beaten in 2006 by Doogal, the American re-dubbed version of The Magic Roundabout.

Comments
2000s films]] Disney films]] Animated films]] Vanguard Animation Films]] Average films]] Family films]] Box office bombs]] Animal films]] Adventure films]] Buena Vista films]] Moderate success films]]