15/45
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved aunt Lucy, who is now residing at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family by his side, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery sends 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 brought on board as an executive producer. Featured 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 not as big a step back as some early reactions led me to believe. For the most part, it’s still a delightfully polished and entertaining experience that’s as enjoyable as it is fast-paced. While the more standard adventure story is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of the first two films, it still works well enough in that context and allows its lovable characters to continue to charm even as they are subjected to the classic sequel of being taken out of their natural habitat to explore the main character’s as-yet-unknown origins. There are plenty of funny moments and the film is good-natured from the first frame. It’s a very good film, and sometimes that’s all it needs. What it lacks compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core. While a handful of moments are touching, the piece isn’t particularly poignant and won’t get your tear ducts working. Additionally, some of the character work is rather superficial and, as my brother pointed out, almost feels like an obligatory afterthought. The narrative in general is rather formulaic and follows a specific formula almost to the end. It’s fairly predictable and feels relatively generic, almost as if it’s been modernized for Paddington after its basic beats have already been laid out. Despite its few issues, there’s still more than enough to enjoy about this feature. Its lovable cast is still going strong, with delightful newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) happily chewing up the scenery whenever necessary. The special effects are consistently good, believably bringing the eponymous 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’s naturally not showing up on the red carpet, it feels like someone’s missing. The film is light and bouncy; it goes by really quickly and is generally a lot of fun. It’s a jam packed with gags, both visual and dialogue-based, and slapstick action scenes that sweep you away. It’s a genuinely good time. Ultimately, it’s a perfectly respectable addition to its series, well-made and enjoyable throughout. It’s unfortunate that it’s a follow-up to “Paddington 2 (2017),” because there’s an argument to be made that it’s the best – or at least the most universally appealing – picture of all time, because it really is a great family film. If you’re expecting (again) the best movie of all time, or even the second best movie of all time, you’ll obviously be disappointed. However, it’s a rock-solid effort, charming and entertaining in almost every scene. It’s far better than a lot of similar fare. If you’re not expecting a miracle, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.