33/30
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who is now residing at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, an exciting adventure begins when a mystery takes them on an unexpected journey. The director of the previous two films, Paul King, decided not to direct this installment. However, he pitched the idea for this third film and was involved as an executive producer. In The Graham Norton Show: Billy Crystal/Emily Mortimer/Hugh Bonneville/Pharrell Williams/Michael Kiwanuka (2024). ‘Paddington in Peru (2024)’ isn’t as good as ‘Paddington 2 (2017)’, but it’s not as big a step back as some early reactions led me to believe. For the most part, this is still a fun and delightfully polite experience that’s as enjoyable as it is lively. While the more standard adventure narrative is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of the first two films, it still works well enough in this context and allows its lovable characters to continue to be endearing even as they’re subjected to the classic sequel thing of being taken out of their natural habitat to explore the main character’s still-unknown origins. There are plenty of funny moments, and the film is good-natured from the first frame. It’s a genuinely cute movie, and sometimes that’s all you need. What it lacks compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core. While a handful of moments are touching, the piece isn’t particularly moving and won’t make your tear ducts work. Additionally, some of its character work is rather perfunctory and, as my brother pointed out, almost feels like an obligatory afterthought. The overall narrative is rather formulaic and follows a specific formula almost to the letter. It’s fairly predictable and feels relatively generic, almost as if it were an adaptation of Paddington after its basic beats had already been laid out. Despite its few issues, there’s still more than enough to enjoy about the film. Its lovable cast is as strong as ever, with some delightful newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) chewing the scenery with glee whenever necessary. The special effects are consistently good, believably bringing the eponymous teddy bear to life in such a way that it’s strange to think he’s never really in the same space as the other characters. When he naturally fails to show up on the red carpet, it feels like someone is missing. The film is light and lively; it really flies and is generally a lot of fun. It’s chock-full of gags, both visual and dialogue-based, and slapstick action scenes that knock you off your feet. It’s a really good time. Ultimately, this is a perfectly respectable addition to its series that’s well-made and enjoyable from start to finish. It’s a shame that it follows “Paddington 2 (2017)”, as one could argue that it is the best, or at least the most universally appealing, film of all time, because this is truly a great family film. If you are expecting the best film of all time (again) or even the second best film of all time, you will obviously be disappointed. However, it is a rock-solid effort that is charming and entertaining in almost every scene. It is much better than many similar films. If you are not expecting a miracle, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
26/12
22/40
33/30
10/43
49/46
21/22
29/46