The aptly named animated movie "Valiant" is a valiant attempt by a British studio to offer kids something a little less hyperactive than their steady diet of Saturday morning cartoons and prefab big screen hits like "Robots," with their wink-wink pop-culture jokes and heavy-duty voice talent. Actually, "Valiant," does pretty well in the well-known-and-honed vocal department, too, featuring a classy roster of British actors, led by Ewan McGregor. That and some meticulous period details make up for the film's unsurprising plot and occasional tepid stretches. Read the full review
Director: Gary Chapman
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent, John Cleese, Tim Curry, Rupert Everett
Run time: 109 minutes
Release date: August 19, 2005
Rating: G.
See showtimes
On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require
Quicktime
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: C+
"Given the recent tragedies in London, it's rather nice timing for a movie that celebrates British stiff-upper-lip resilience."
Cox News Service: C+
"The majority of the movie is a conflict not between good and evil but between genres. Ultimately, with no clear objective, there's no clear winner."
Austin American-Statesman: 2 of 5 stars
"It's as average as Shrek was outstanding."
The Palm Beach Post: C
"The film starts promisingly enough with a chipper, period-perfect black-and-white newsreel on the war effort, but the adult humor level soon falls away..."