VALIANT

A group of misfit carrier pigeons hope to assist Allied forces in World War II in the animated feature VALIANT. Valiant is the title character, a small, but aspiring pigeon who dreams of delivering mail to British forces, braving all obstacles and dangers. Valiant enlists in the R-H-P-S, or Royal Homing Pigeon Service, but may have gotten more than he bargained for with the service’s combat training.

VALIANT is one strange bird. It’s an odd and poorly calculated decision by Disney to set a children’s film around World War II. The situations are a bit darker by understanding the world’s circumstances at the time, and although younger children won’t pick up on this, there also isn’t anything for youngsters to embrace. The occasionally witty British humor works at times, but it’s not obvious enough for children and not consistent enough for adults. The characters are too dry, and the situations too familiar making the film seem less reverent than more recent animated fare. Despite all of the VALIANT miscalculations, the film may still have worked had it been anchored with interesting or colorful characters. Instead, are feathered friends are rather bland and lifeless. Leave this bird grounded.

Grade: C