Paddington in Peru (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Follows Paddington and the Brown family as they visit Aunt Lucy in Peru, but a mystery sends them to the Amazon rainforest and up Peruvian mountains.

My Take – I think we can all agree that Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017) are not just undeniably enjoyable family features, but in fact they are amongst the greatest films ever made. The sequel especially, backed by one of the more memorable Hugh Grant performances, and jars of charm, boasts an enviable Rotten Tomatoes score of 99%.

Which meant this third installment had hugely difficult expectations to live up to as it sends Ben Whishaw‘s beloved marmalade-loving bear out on a caper abroad.

Undoubtedly, the resulting adventure is the weakest of the trilogy, with the absence of director Paul King definitely being felt, as he retains a story credit but hands off the directorial reins to first-time feature film-maker Dougal Wilson.

Nevertheless, it still manages to be a delightful installment that loses none of the charm even as it flips the script on the dynamic of the first two films. We see new cast members join, old faces return, but there’s the same slapstick humor, endearing performances, and heart that won us over.

Yes, it’s more standard sequel approach of getting its characters out of their natural habitat to explore the as-yet-unknown origins of the main character, is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of its predecessors, but the consistently funny adventure never forgets the immigrant story at the heart of series as Paddington struggles to balance his past and future.

While the film doesn’t delve deeply into complex themes, it makes for a warm, simple watch that succeeds in its goal: to keep children entertained for 90 minutes or so, and offer just enough charm and humor to win over adults as well. If you’re looking for family entertainment that’s easy to digest and reliably heartwarming, this one is a solid choice.

The story once again follows Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw), the friendly anthropomorphized marmalade loving bear, who has happily settled into the Brown family household in London, replete with his own British passport. That is until, one day he receives a letter, written by the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) who runs the retirement home of bears in Peru and houses his beloved Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton).

With the letter stating that Aunt Lucy deeply misses him and is acting strangely lately. Worried, Paddington and the Browns, which includes Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville), Mary Brown (Emily Mortimer), Judy Brown (Madeleine Harris), Jonathan Brown (Samuel Joslin) and Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters) decide to go to Peru to visit her.

But upon arrival in Peru, they learn that Aunt Lucy has gone missing in the jungle, leaving behind only her glasses and her bracelet. Determined to find her using the map she left behind, Paddington and the Browns enlist Capt. Cabot (Antonio Banderas), who runs a local river boat with his daughter Gina (Cala Tous), and begin a perilous journey to the famed El Dorado.

Indeed, the plot is a bit too conventional for the world’s most well-mannered bear, and demands that too much of the script, written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamon, is dedicated to maneuvering him into the position of adventure archaeologist.

Yet, it is engaging, designed to keep children entertained without overwhelming them. Dougal Wilson‘s direction brings enough whimsy through carrying over ideas from the predecessors and some new inventive ones as well as a few well placed references to other films. There’s a lot of slapstick here as usual and it always escalates in unexpected ways.

What it does lack in comparison to its predecessors is a strong emotional core. Even though a handful of its moments are moving, the piece isn’t especially poignant and it isn’t going to get your tear ducts working. Mainly, as the decision of the narrative to shift from London to Peru doesn’t work completely.

Sure, it takes the opportunity to delve more into Paddington’s past, but the charm is somewhat less dazzling, the world-building not a strong enough compensation. Instead, what works is the disarmingly effective commentary on parents facing the reality of their children flying the nest. And of course, the animation and cinematography of the series continue to be impressive, with the lush landscapes of Peru offering a beautiful backdrop to Paddington’s charming adventure.

It helps that Ben Whishaw remains endlessly precious with another pitch perfect vocal performance as Paddington. Hugh Bonneville is lovably goofy as Mr Brown. Emily Mortimer makes for a worthy replacement of Sally Hawkins. Madeleine Harris, Cala Tous, Samuel Joslin and Julie Walters are likable.

Antonio Banderas seems to be having a ball, while Olivia Colman excellently delivers manic punchlines with wide eyes and an even wider smile. On the whole, ‘Paddington in Peru‘ is a perfectly respectable addition to a series that’s well-made, enjoyable throughout and perfect for family viewing.