Review: Justin & the Knights of Valour (PG)
A clumsy yet kind-hearted boy on the cusp of adulthood discovers heroism comes from within, during Manuel Sicilia’s computer-animated adventure.
Justin And The Knights Of Valour is a stirring tale of derring-do set in an olde worlde kingdom steeped in myth and magic that was once ravaged by dragons.
A predominantly British voice cast adds lustre to the simplistic screenplay, co-written by Matthew Jacobs and Sicilia, including over-the-top comic turns from David Walliams as a demented wizard and Rupert Everett as a painfully vain evil henchman, who is a slave to sartorial daring. The setting is reminiscent of the splendid 2010 animation How To Train Your Dragon but Sicilia’s picture lacks that film’s heart and soul, only faintly tugging our heartstrings. Vocal performances are solid but there’s a noticeable lack of sparkling one-liners and the emotional wallop.