‘Paddington in Peru’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Arriving in theaters on February 14th, ‘Paddington in Peru’ is a perfectly fun family film that would be considered a solid chunk of entertainment on its own merits.
Unfortunately, it is also the third outing for a franchise that has so far produced one very good film and one stone-cold classic of the genre, which rather overshadows this less unique-seeming take on the cuddly bear character and his London family.
Related Article: ‘Paddington in Peru’ Adds Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas and Rachel Zegler to its Cast
Will ‘Paddington in Peru’ take you on a journey?
When ‘Paddington in Peru’ was announced without co-writer/director Paul King overseeing matters, there was huge concern from the ‘Paddington’ faithful (Padding-stans? No, we’re not going to call ourselves that!) that some or all of the magic might be missing this time around.
Could it end up a craven attempt to cash on the pure joy and emotion (not to mention superb characterization) of the first two movies? Is it a quest too far for our furry hero with the big heart?
And if we’re honest, would it have been better to leave things well alone given how satisfying the final of ‘Paddington 2’ ended up being?
Fortunately, director Dougal Wilson (making his movie debut year after some years creating commercials and music videos) steers the ship with enough charm to answer most of those questions, and King is still involved. Yet there remains some key spark missing.
Script and Direction
‘Paddington’ veterans King and co-writer/occasional actor Simon Farnaby cooked up the story alongside Mark Burton (who himself has worked at Aardman Animation), screenplay duties fell to Burton and Jon Foster and James Lamont, who have some ‘Paddington’ experience of their own having written for the Netflix animation series featuring the character.
Which means that it does at least feel like ‘Paddington in Peru’ takes place in roughly the same universe as the two previous movies, the tone also largely carried over.
Taking the main character from London is sometimes a disadvantage, since he loses that fish-out-of-water feel but having the Brown family accompany him on his quest to find his Aunt Lucy who has seemingly gone missing on a mission of her own at least includes some of those elements.
And our furry central figure remains as clumsy as ever, evidenced by his trouble using a photo booth at the start and his efforts to steer the boat that the group find themselves upon following the captain falling off.
Yet there is still something that just feels… off about the story in itself, as if it’s a very competent cover band playing, but missing some of the style of the original musicians.
Likewise, Wilson handles the directorial side of things with large helpings of charisma and humor as is requisite in a ‘Paddington’ outing and looks to ape a lot of what King brought to his movies.
But there’s still that X-factor that has gone astray, one that even playing the hits (such as Paddington breaking out his “hard stare” at one moment) cannot entirely replicate or successfully channel.
Moving things to the Amazon from London presents something of a challenge, as while the movies have always existed in a more fantastical, idealized version of England’s capital city, attempting to replicate the jungle on stages and with bluescreen means it looks even more ersatz.
It’s still a very fun adventure with some watchable villains (a ‘Paddington franchise staple) and boasts enough laughs to carry it along alike a riverboat cruising through the Amazon.
Performances
At the heart of any ‘Paddington’ movie is the bear himself, and with the capable, charm-filled voice of Ben Whishaw still present and correct, he sounds and acts the part. The VFX team have also taken care to make sure he looks the same.
Having him head back to where he grew up does diminish a little of his appeal, but he still gets into scrapes and will tug at your heartstrings for certain moments.
Around him, the Brown family have gone through more of a change. While Hugh Bonneville is still excellent as the slightly stuffy but still warm Mr. Brown, his wife Mary is now played by Emily Mortimer rather than Sally Hawkins. She brings perhaps a sweeter vibe, though Mrs. Brown remains a slightly less active character in story terms than her husband.
Still, that’s better than the two kids, Judy, played by Madeleine Harris and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin). Despite being older, they’re almost superfluous at this point, except when the story finds a reason for them to exist. That’s not a knock on the actors, they just don’t have too much to do.
Faring better in support are the likes of British National Treasure (and Oscar winner Olivia Colman), who was seemingly born for the ‘Paddington’ franchise and here plays a quirky nun who oversees the Home for Retired Bears in Peru and Antonio Banderas, who understands the amplified comedy assignment as boat captain Hunter Cabot.
He has the advantage of playing several characters, including all of Hunter’s deceased ancestors, who appear in ghostly form and give him other shades (pun intended) to play.
Final Thoughts
While still a very fun family outing with plenty to recommend it, ‘Paddington in Peru’ does inevitably suffer in comparison to its near-perfect brethren (particularly that second one).
That’s not entirely the fault of the film itself, more that it comes across as an attempt to channel what worked about those two without cracking the formula to the same degree. It doesn’t embarrass itself in the ‘Paddington’ pantheon, it’s just not up there with the best.
jYAey8GDajjKqO4yVcMb97What’s the story of ‘Paddington in Peru’?
The new movie brings Paddington’s (BenWhishaw) story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears.
With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.
Who is in the cast of ‘Paddington in Peru’?
- Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown
- Emily Mortimer as Mary Brown
- Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown
- Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown
- Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird
- Jim Broadbent as Samuel Gruber
- Olivia Colman as Clarissa Cabot / The Reverend Mother
- Antonio Banderas as Hunter Cabot
- Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington Brown
- Imelda Staunton as the voice of Aunt Lucy
- Hayley Atwell as Madison
Movies in the ‘Paddington’ Franchise:
- ‘Paddington‘ (2015)
- ‘Paddington 2‘ (2018)
- ‘Paddington in Peru‘ (2025)
