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Sir Billi (also known as Guardian of the Highlands) is a 2012 British computer-animated adventure comedy film directed by Sascha Hartmann and written by his wife Tessa Hartmann, based on an original story they developed together.[2] The film stars the voices of Sean Connery, Alan Cumming, Patrick Doyle and Kieron Elliott. Set in the Scottish Highlands, Sir Billi follows the title character, an elderly veterinarian, as he attempts to help a runaway beaver escape a corrupt officer.

Sir Billi
British theatrical release poster
Directed bySascha Hartmann
Written byTessa Hartmann
Based onSir Billi the Vet
by Tessa Hartmann
Produced bySascha Hartmann
Tessa Hartmann
Sean Connery
StarringSean Connery
Alan Cumming
Patrick Doyle
Kieron Elliott
Greg Hemphill
Ford Kiernan
Miriam Margolyes
Amy Sacco
Edited bySteven Weisberg
Music byPatrick Doyle
Shirley Bassey
Production
company
Billi Productions
Distributed byShoreline Entertainment
Release dates
  • 13 April 2012 (2012-04-13) (Sonoma International Film Festival)
  • 13 September 2013 (2013-09-13)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£15 million[1]
Box office$15,838

It was Connery's first film role since The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), and the last before his death in 2020. Connery had retired in 2006, but joined the film's cast as a favour to the Hartmanns.[2] The film is Scotland's first CGI animated feature film.[3]


Plot


Sir William “Billi” Sedgewick works as veterinarian and resides with Gordon, a goat who behaves as a dog, outside the small town of Catterness, located within the Scottish Highlands.

On orders of the Scottish government, beavers have become illegal in Scotland and are to be sent to Norway. During one such removal, a lorry carrying a large group of beavers is involved in an accident, letting loose some of the beavers. The officers in charge of the operation, McKenzie and McTavish, manage to recapture most of the beavers, but one escapes. The escapee, Bessie Boo, is subsequently adopted by a family of rabbits. McKenzie, posing as a police officer, mounts an obsessive search for Bessie.

Five years pass as McKenzie continues his search for Bessie. Meanwhile, Bessie and the rabbits partake in a tobogganing race. Bessie's adoptive brother, named Wee Dave, and their mother fall into a river due to the former's carelessness, leading Bessie to attempt to rescue them. Billi, Gordon, and Billi's grandson, Jake, are driving towards Catterness when another rabbit alerts them of the problem. Billi organises a deuptation in the town square before noticing McKenzie acting strangely and questioning his identity.

During the group's search, Billi finds and resuscitates Bessie's mother, and soon locates Bessie and Dave approaching Baron McToff's dam. McToff, despite his protests, accepts Billi's demands to turn off the turbines. The group manages to rescue Dave, only to miss Bessie. Gordon bungee-jumps down to catch Bessie, but himself falls into the river. The group retrieves Gordon, but they are distracted by a submarine. Billi gathers a group to save Gordon with a trampoline, but Gordon is knocked out. Victoria, a pilot duck assisting with the group's rescue, throws Billi a bottle of water, which he uses to revive Gordon.

Lady Serena, Billi's daughter, hands Bessie to the submarine's pilot, but McKenzie absconds with Bessie. McKenzie then hijacks Billi‘s Land Rover, causing Billi to give chase in his Aston Martin and eventually on his skateboard across the Highlands. Ending up outside of a military base, McKenzie tries to have Billi arrested, before they are both confronted by the police. McKenzie is himself arrested for his crimes, while Billi promises to reunite Bessie with her family.

The heroes celebrate their victory at the Catterness Inn, while Bessie is returned to her mother. Billi and his consort, Toni Turner, leave the celebration to drive off into the moonlight.


Voice cast



Critical response


On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 0%, based on eight reviews, with an average rating of 2.3/10.[4] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 17 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".[5]

The negative reaction to the film was widely reported in the British press.[6] Peter Debruge of Variety called it "woefully anaemic", criticising its "simplistic story and non-sequitur style". They also pointed out a few in-jokes referencing Connery's past role as James Bond, such as title sequence featuring a Shirley Bassey song that pastiches Bond themes.[7] Siobhan Synnot of The Scotsman called it "mirthless" and "rudimentary".[8] Russ Fischer of SlashFilm criticized it as an "ignominious" end to Connery's career, even compared to his previous film, the critically reviled The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.[9] Fred Patten of Flayrah called the CG "the ugliest that I have ever seen".[10] Journalist Lisa Summers was also harshly critical of both the CGI and the story.[11] F Bomb Movie Review felt it badly failed to connect with today's children.[12]

Despite the film's largely negative reception, AM FM Magazine said Sir Billi was well received on its premiere at the Sonoma International Film Festival.[13]


References


  1. Child, Ben (2 September 2013). "Sean Connery's final film heading to just three cinemas, then DVD". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  2. Ferguson, Brian (17 April 2012). "Fierce attack on Sir Sean Connery's final film, Sir Billi". The Scotsman. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  3. Kay, Jeremy (3 October 2012). "Shoreline Entertainment acquires worldwide rights to Sir Billi". Screen Daily. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  4. "Sir Billi (2013)", Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, retrieved 9 October 2021
  5. "Sir Billi (2012) reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. Brown, Craig (1 September 2013). "Sean Connery cartoon film heads for DVD oblivion". The Scotsman. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  7. Debruge, Peter (15 April 2012). "Review: 'Sir Billi'". Variety. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  8. Synnot, Siobhan (13 September 2013). "Film reviews: Rush | Sir Billi | White House Down". The Scotsman. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  9. Fischer, Russ (24 June 2010). "WTF: Footage From Sean Connery's 'Sir Billi'". SlashFilm. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  10. Patten, Fred (3 November 2012). "Can Sean Connery's voice save 'Sir Billi' from its own CGI?". Flayrah. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  11. Summers, Lisa (15 April 2012). "SIFF – Sir Billi".
  12. "Sir Billi (Review)". F Bomb Movie Review. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  13. Thompson, Christine (30 April 2012). "Sir Sean Connery's Sir Billi Well-received at the Sonoma International Film Festival". AM FM Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.



На других языках


- [en] Sir Billi

[ru] Сэр Билли

Сэр Билли — компьютерный анимационный художественный фильм 2012 года британского производства. Создатели — Саша Хартманн и Тесса Хартманн, актеры озвучания — Кристофер Александр, Джон Эвэбайл, Шон Коннери, Алан Камминг, Патрик Дойл и Кирон Эллиотт.



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