36/34
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, 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. 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 quite as good as ‘Paddington 2 (2017),’ but it’s not as big a step backwards as some early reactions led me to believe. For the most part, this is still a fun and delightfully polite experience that’s as enjoyable as it is fast-paced. While the more standard adventure narrative is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of the first two films, it still works well enough in this context and allows its lovable characters to continue to charm even when they’re subjected to the classic sequel trope 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 very first frame. It’s a very good movie, and sometimes that’s all you need. What it lacks compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core. While a handful of its moments are heartwarming, the piece isn’t particularly moving and won’t get your tear ducts working. Additionally, some of the character work is rather perfunctory and, as my brother pointed out, almost feels like an obligatory afterthought. The narrative in general is quite conventional and follows a specific formula almost to a T. It’s quite predictable and feels relatively generic, almost as if it were a retrofit for Paddington after its basic beats had already been laid out. Despite its few issues, there’s still more than enough to like about the film. Its lovable cast is as strong as ever, with a couple of charming newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) happily chewing the scenery whenever they’re needed. The special effects are consistently good, bringing the eponymous bear to life in such a way that it’s strange to think that he’s never really in the same space as the other characters. When he naturally doesn’t show up on the red carpet, it feels like someone is missing. The film is light and bouncy; it really soars and is generally a lot of fun. It’s packed with gags, both visual and dialogue-based, and slapstick action scenes that sweep you off your feet. It’s a very good time. Ultimately, this is a perfectly respectable addition to its series, well-made and enjoyable from start to finish. It’s a shame it follows Paddington 2 (2017), as there’s an argument to be made that it’s the best — or at least the most universally appealing — film of all time, because it’s genuinely a great family film. If you’re expecting the best film of all time (again) or even the second-best film of all time, you’ll obviously be disappointed. However, it’s a solid effort that’s charming and entertaining in pretty much every scene. It’s far better than a lot of similar films. If you’re not expecting a miracle, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.