46/49
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, now living in retirement at the Bear Sanctuary. An exciting adventure ensues with the Brown family when a secret takes them on an unexpected journey. The director of the previous two films, Paul King, chose not to direct this installment. However, it was he who pitched the idea for this third film and served as executive producer. Appeared on 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 also not as much of a step back as some early reactions led me to believe. For the most part, it’s still an enjoyable and pleasantly polite experience that’s as entertaining as it is snappy. While the more standard adventure narrative is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of the first two pictures, it still works well enough in this context, allowing the beloved characters to continue to charm even when subjected to a classic sequel that takes them out of their natural habitat to explore a still-unknown origin of the main character. There are plenty of funny moments and the film is good-natured from the first frame. It’s a really beautiful film and sometimes that’s all you need. What it lacks compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core. While some of its moments are touching, the song isn’t particularly poignant and won’t stir your tear ducts. Furthermore, some of its character work is quite perfunctory and, as my brother pointed out, almost seems like an obligatory afterthought. The plot as a whole is quite conventional, following a certain formula almost to the letter. It’s fairly predictable and feels relatively generic, almost like it was adapted for Paddington after the basic beats had already been outlined. Despite a few issues, there’s still more than enough to like about this film. The charming cast is as strong as ever, and several charming newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) chew through scenery with glee when needed. The special effects are consistently good, bringing the titular bear to life in a way that makes it seem odd to think he’s never really in the same room as the other characters. Of course, when she doesn’t appear on the red carpet, it feels like someone is missing. The foil is light and flexible; it flies by and is overall very funny. It’s full of sight gags, both visual and dialogue-based, and scenes of slapstick action that will blow your mind. It’s a really good time. Ultimately, this is a perfectly respectable addition to the series that is well made and fun to watch. It’s a shame that it follows Paddington 2 (2017) because you could argue that it’s the best – or at least most universally appealing – movie of all time because it’s a really great family movie. Anyone expecting the best movie of all time (again) or even the second best movie of all time will of course be disappointed. However, this is a solid effort that is charming and funny in nearly every scene. It’s much better than many similar productions. If you’re not expecting a miracle, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
