Yahoo Movies Paddington 3 delivers exactly what you want from a Paddington movie
Paddington in Peru had the unenviable – some might say impossible – task of following up one of the most beloved movies of all time, Paddington 2.
It was a task made trickier with some notable departures as Dougal Wilson took over from Paul King as director, while Emily Mortimer replaced Sally Hawkins as Mrs Brown after Hawkins chose not to return. Add in a seven-year gap, and could Paddington 3 hope to live up to expectations?
While it might seem harsh to compare the new movie to the sequel, many will and there's no question that it is a step down. However, a step down in a series of this quality is still a very good movie that Paddington fans of any age can savour like a marmalade sandwich.
Paddington in Peru takes a bit of time to find its bearings but ends up delivering all the Paddington feels you hoped for.
The main issue with Paddington in Peru is that, at least initially, it decides to retread familiar ground. We start with a cold open to baby Paddington, which expands on Paddington 2's opening, only adding another of Aunt Lucy's (Imelda Staunton) quotable sayings that will become relevant later on.
We're then whisked forward to Windsor Gardens, where Paddington (Ben Whishaw) is still happily living with the Brown family. He's even getting his first passport to become "officially British" – this series has never shied away from the immigration theme – and it's come just in time.
Paddington receives a letter from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) who runs the Home for Retired Bears in Peru. Aunt Lucy misses him terribly – as we all did – and the Reverend Mother implores Paddington to visit to cheer her up, leading Mr Brown (Hugh Bonneville) reluctantly to agree to a family trip.
But when they arrive, Aunt Lucy is nowhere to be seen, which means Paddington's adventure has just begun. With the help of handsome and charming riverboat captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), Paddington and the Browns head into the Amazon rainforest to find out just what happened to her.
There's nothing particularly wrong with Paddington in Peru's opening act, it just lacks the freshness of the previous two movies. The elements are there – including a gorgeous animated painting sequence – but it feels a bit flat as it's just too familiar; it's almost more like a remake of a Paddington movie than a sequel.
It makes sense to start on solid ground after so much time away, yet it's when the movie forms its own identity that things considerably improve. Moving the action almost entirely to Peru helps to immediately add a unique tone, and a musical number from the Reverend Mother really marks the turning point.
From here, Paddington in Peru manages to blend the familiar and the fresh. There's a more fantastical element to the story, but still with scope for Paddington's usual adorable pratfalls, inspirational Aunt Lucy sayings ("when skies are grey, hope is the only way") and very silly visual gags.
As with the previous two movies, there's plenty here for both the kids and the adults watching. Younger viewers might want more jokes although will very much enjoy a character getting hit in the crotch in slow-motion, while adults will connect with the themes of their children moving away from them (emotionally and literally).
Paddington in Peru's not-so-secret weapons are Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman, both proving exceptional additions to the franchise. The marketing hasn't revealed who – if anybody – is the villain here and we won't do so either, but both of them knew exactly how to pitch their performances.
The Reverend Mother is a carefree and always-positive character, even if she does relish saying the word "suspicious" a lot. Colman always felt like a perfect fit for the Paddington world and so it proves, even if the role isn't as showy as her excellent musical number might suggest.
It's Banderas who gets the bigger role here, and he's delivered another instant family favourite performance to go with Puss in Boots. Like Hugh Grant, he gets to go all out with the role of Hunter Cabot, whose charm hides ghosts from his past. You can tell Banderas had fun in the part and it shines through, elevating the movie.
Of course, arguably neither of them is the most notable newcomer. Like the movie itself, Emily Mortimer faced a tough challenge to live up to what came before, and starts trying to replicate the whimsy that Sally Hawkins brought to Mrs Brown, which isn't quite as effective.
Mortimer grows into the role once she starts to put her own stamp on it rather than echo what came before. It's credit to her affecting performance that the final act's emotional beats hit as hard as they do, and you can thank her for the tears that come, as is traditional in a Paddington movie.
Her performance ends up being a microcosm of Paddington in Peru. There's a sticky start before the movie finds its paws and delivers everything you want, from inventive, witty visuals and quirky gags to a heartwarming message.
So, yes, Paddington in Peru isn't on the same level as Paddington 2, but if you dismiss it because of that, then we've got a hard stare for you.
Paddington in Peru is out now in UK cinemas and is released in US cinemas on January 17, 2025.
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