The Reel Review
Paddington Bear and his adoptive Brown family embark on an adventure after his beloved Aunt Lucy, who raised him in the jungles of Peru, mysteriously goes missing from her retirement home there. Ben Whishaw, Imelda Staunton, Olivia Colman, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer and Antonio Banderas star in this third film installment of the family adventure animation.
While predictable and not quite as strong as the prior two films, this delightfully silly, kid-friendly Indiana Jones-type adventure with an impressive cast still has enough humor and a hilarious, scene-stealing performance from Colman as the suspicious singing head nun at the retirement home to make it a crowd pleaser. The kid-oriented slapstick humor is corny but sweet, with none of the villains really that villainous.
Whishaw’s gentle voiceover work as Paddington really makes the film series magical. The visuals showcasing Machu Picchu and the jungles of South America are a highlight and the film ends with a satisfyingly sweet message about the importance of family, be it biological or chosen.
REEL FACTS
• Paddington in Peru is director Dougal Wilson’s film debut, taking over for Paul King, who directed the first two films and pitched the idea for this sequel, also serving as its executive producer.
• Emily Mortimer succeeds Sally Hawkins in the role of Mrs. Brown. Hawkins says she felt it was time to hand over the reins to someone new, adding that the experience of making the first two films has been some of the best and most creative times she has had in film.
• There is an end credits scene.
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