Valiant (G, 2005)

Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor) is a brave but small pigeon who dreams of joining the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service and serving his country during WWII. Despite the odds, he and his pal Bugsy (Ricky Gervais) endure the rigorous training necessary to prepare them for dangerous missions behind enemy lines. But as a brigade of evil German falcons threatens their initial mission, Valiant and the rag-tag group of birds from Squad F must save the day.

Despite the G rating, VALIANT doesn't really seem aimed at kids. Most children won't be familiar with the WWII setting, and many of the comedic references to Normandy, the French Resistance, and war propaganda films will be lost on them. Some parents won't be comfortable with the movie's focus on war and death, either. However, kids will probably enjoy the colorful bird characters and some of the lowbrow humor involving pratfalls and burping -- just know that this movie, which is being advertised as "coming from the producer of Shrek and Shrek 2" doesn't have much in common with either of these lighthearted films.

While kids may like the classic tale of an underdog overcoming the odds, they aren't likely to be too interested in all the WWII details -- their grandparents are more likely to enjoy the clever references than they are. At a recent screening, kids seemed bored throughout much of the movie -- any laughter was generally coming from parents, who enjoyed references like a French mouse named Charles De Girl. The parts of the movie that focused on Bugsy burping or the bumbling characters falling or bumping into each other elicited the most laughs from children. Overall this is a cute and visually appealing film, but not all kids are going to appreciate it.