E-Mail This Article to a Friend VALIANT

76 MINUTES

It says a lot about ideas in Hollywood that the folks at Disney green-lit this cartoon tribute to the world’s dirtiest bird: these days, even animated fare draws inspiration from a trash bin. The true story of the Allied forces’ use of homing pigeons (and other animals) to deliver messages during WW2 is compelling, particularly since it offers yet another example of the havoc wreaked by war. Yet as a cutesy coming-of-age tale involving a pipsqueak pigeon (Ewan McGregor) who joins the Royal Homing Pigeon Service out of patriotic duty, Valiant is about as illuminating as Heckle and Jeckle. And even though director Gary Chapman passes on drama in favor of puns, there are moments, as when the pigeons try to escape the tumultuous English Channel, that might be too scary for his core audience of kids. Thanks to the dry-witted Ricky Gervais (The Office), whose ad libs give wings even to a crusty bird caged in a formulaic story, Valiant manages to hover just above the level of pigeon droppings.