26/18
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who is now residing at the Retired Bears Home. With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey. The director of the previous two films, Paul King, has decided not to direct this installment. However, he pitched the idea for this third film and was 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 initial reactions led me to believe. For the most part, it’s still an entertaining and delightfully polite experience that’s as enjoyable as it is lively. While the more standard adventure narrative is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of the first two films, it still works pretty well in this context and allows its lovable characters to remain charming even when subjected to the classic aftershock of being taken out of their natural habitat to explore the main character’s still-unknown origins. There are plenty of funny moments and the film is good-natured from the first frame. It’s a genuinely enjoyable film, and sometimes that’s all you need. What it does lack compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core. While a handful of its moments are touching, the piece isn’t especially moving and isn’t going to get your tear ducts working. Also, some of its character work is pretty shallow and, as my brother pointed out, almost feels like an afterthought. The narrative overall is pretty conventional and follows a specific formula almost to a T. It’s pretty predictable and feels relatively generic, almost as if it was adapted for Paddington after its basic beats had already been penciled in. Despite its few problems, there’s still more than enough to like about the film. Its lovable cast is as strong as ever, with some charming newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) chewing the scenery with glee when it’s what’s needed. 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 not naturally appearing on the red carpet, it feels like someone is missing. The film is light and lively; it really flies and is generally a lot of fun. It’s packed with gags, both visual and dialogue-based, and action scenes and slapstick that knock you off balance. It’s a very funny time. All in all, this is a perfectly respectable addition to their series, one that’s well-made and enjoyable from start to finish. It’s a shame that it follows “Paddington 2 (2017)” as it can be argued that it’s the best (or at least the most universally appealing) movie of all time, because this is truly a great family movie. If you’re expecting the best movie of all time (again) or even the second best movie of all time, you’re obviously going to be disappointed. However, it’s a solid effort that’s charming and entertaining in virtually every single scene. It’s much better than a lot of similar movies. If you don’t go in expecting a miracle, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
