‘Paddington in Peru’ Brings Adventure and Charm but Lacks Pacing - Review

Does ‘Paddington in Peru’ live up to the first two films?

Film enthusiasts tend to disagree about a lot of things, but the charm and happiness that comes from a Paddington film is something that can unite us all. Director Paul King was able to bring a magically joyful tone to the first two Paddington films that instantly made them family classics. However, King has handed the director chair to first-time director Dougal Wilson for the third installment, ‘Paddington in Peru.’ Not to worry, most everything that we’ve come to love about the Paddington films is present here.

Synopsis

In ‘Paddington in Peru,’ Paddington (Ben Whishaw) receives a letter telling him that his Aunt Lucy misses him deeply and has been acting strangely at home for retired bears in Peru. Paddington and the entire Brown family take off to Peru to visit her. They discover upon arriving that Paddington’s Aunt Lucy has gone missing in the jungle, so Paddington and the Brown family go on an adventure to try and find her.

Hugh Bonneville, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, and Jule Walters all reprise their roles as the Brown family and Mrs. Bird respectfully, with Emily Mortimer replacing Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown in this third installment. Major new additions include Antonio Banderas as Hunter Cabot, a treasure hunter, and Olivia Colman as The Reverend Mother who works at the home for retired bears. Banderas and Colman are no strangers to these types of character roles in family movies, and both are having a great time chewing the scenery as over-the-top caricatures.

While the performances add to the overall fun experience of a Paddington movie, it really comes down to the tone. The factors that made the first two Paddington films so successful were the sense of adventure that came along with a family-friendly atmosphere. ‘Paddington in Peru’ really takes a lot of time to set up the story and exposition, and you could feel the children in the theater getting restless. Once the movie really starts chugging along, it’s a great ride. It’s just a shame that it takes a while to get there. The highs of the biggest action sequences in ‘Paddington in Peru’ are on par with some of the best moments of any of the Paddington movies, but the slower parts of the film make it difficult to surpass the entries that came before it.

Verdict

‘Paddington in Peru’ is a successful new addition to the Paddington franchise that will delight fans of the previous entries. While Dougal Wilson is mostly successful in replicating the tone of previous films, its slower moments hinder it from becoming a top entry in the franchise. Regardless, there is still plenty of fun for families to be found here.