PADDINGTON IN PERU – Review

Although there are still a few weeks before most kids get their much anticipated Spring breaks, another “family-friendly” franchise flick arrives which hopes to give a bit of warmth to the chilly last weeks of Winter. Now December, and 2024, finished up with two such films, MUFASA: THE LION KING which is a rare sequel/prequel in Disney’s series, and another adventure of the video game superstar, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3. Like the latter, this new release is the third outing, and it also mixes a CGI-animated character in a live-action world. However, it also shares its origins with the current (for the last two weeks) box office champ DOG Man, which is based on a beloved series of children’s books. Now can the filmmakers score a rare “hat trick’ as the first sequel is so admired that it was ‘name-checked” at the end of the Nicholas Cage comedy THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT? Perhaps that’s why they’re “shaking things up” with a change in locale as we join PADDINGTON IN PERU.

The film actually starts off in that exotic land with a short flashback as our hero Paddington the bear (voice of Ben Whishaw) has a last visit with his adored Aunt Lucy (voice of Imelda Staunton). Then it’s back to the present day as Paddington returns to his train station to obtain a photo, in a coin-automated booth, for a passport, which will confirm that he’s now a legal British citizen. Back at his home with the Browns, matriarch Mary (Emily Mortimer) is concerned that the family is drifting apart. Son Johnathan (Samuel Joslin) barely leaves his room as he invents gadgets to aid in his video game mania, while daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) is (sigh) deciding on a college, Even papa Henry (Hugh Bonneville) is busy trying to impress his new American boss (who thinks he “plays it safe”) at the insurance company. A postal letter changes everything as Paddington gets news from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) who runs the Home for Retired Bears in Peru. It seems that Aunt Lucy deeply misses him as her behavior has become increasingly odd. Paddington must return to his homeland, and the Browns will join him on the trip (that’ll show Henry’s new boss). But when they arrive the Reverend Mother informs them that Lucy wandered away, into the dense jungle. Later, Paddington visits her room and discovers a note with a map that leads to Rumi Rock. Grandmother Bird (Julie Walters) stays behind with the RM (she fears the outside world), as the Browns venture out to the village in hopes of hiring a guide and a boat. Luckily both appear as they meet Captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his “first mate”, daughter Gina (Carla Tous). Ah, but things take a turn as he discovers that the map will take him to the fabled lost land of gold, El Dorado, which was sought by his greedy ancestors. Gina suspects her papa has “gold fever”, but can she ‘snap him out of it” before his zeal causes disaster for the Browns and prevents a reunion between Paddington and Lucy?

Although it’s been nearly eight years since our last cinema “visit”, the cast of regulars nimbly slip into their roles as though they were comfy slightly worn slippers. Whishaw still gives a mellow melodic gentle tone to the little bear’s “pipes”. Bonneville also brings lots of warmth to the bumbling, often befuddled, but caring patriarch. Harris and Joslin ease into the “young adult” stage of the Brown siblings. Walters is a grey-haired energetic dynamo as the plucky Granny Bird. Plus we get a nice cameo from Jim Broadbent as sage shopkeeper Mr. Gruber. As for the new “additions”, Mortimer takes over from Sally Hawkins as the sometimes melancholy (feeling the empty nest blues) matriarch, who provides a gentle “nudge” to point everyone in the correct direction. That’s when she’s not stifling a “swoon” over the dashing seafarer Cabot given the full swashbuckler swagger from the wry Banderas. He’s having a blast, especially when he’s donning wigs and period costumes to play the branches of the Cabot family tree. Tous is a terrific “level head” as she sees her papa “going for the gold”. Matching Banderas in the “embracing the silly” is the zany Colman, spicing up her lines with a sweet “sing-song” cheerfulness deftly parodying cinema’s “cute clergy” (crooning like a crazed maria from THE SOUND OF MUSIC), or evading inquiries with a vapid vagueness. These screen vets are happily enjoying a romp in the Paddington playground.

Oh, that playground has a new supervisor in director Dougal Wilson who takes the reigns from Paul King (who contributes to the whimsical screenplay). Thankfully he keeps the tone light and breezy presenting a magical timeless version of London while expanding the focus to present a very adventurous, slightly dangerous (the fishes nibble too much) classic pulp-novel version of Peru. Unfortunately, the pace lags a bit once the Browns are separated in the lush leafy jungle, and Cabot’s pursuit resembles a mix of the Looney Tunes Coyote and Indiana Jones (a boulder that seems to have a mind of its own) which may get the tykes a bit squirmy (a six or seven minute trim would’ve been a help). That and the lack of a great campy villain (miss you Phoenix B.) contributes to this being the weakest of the trilogy. But the standards set by the previous two are so high, especially among so much dreary family fare, that this is still an engaging watch. And really, we’d follow the Browns anywhere, especially when they join PADDINGTON IN PERU.

3 out of 4

PADDINGTON IN PERU opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, February 14, 2025