In the decade since the first Paddington film delighted audiences across the globe, the clumsy yet immensely loveable titular Andean bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) has gone from being an integral piece of British iconography to arguably one of the most universally adored fictional characters. Writer-director Paul King, along with co-writer Simon Farnaby of the Them There English comedy collective, set the bar astronomically high with the movie’s sequel, Paddington 2, which is widely regarded as one of the very best modern family films. With King then choosing to direct 2023’s Wonka instead of returning for another sequel, this made the seven-year wait leading up to Paddington in Peru one of both great anticipation and mildly cautious trepidation.
The latest Paddington installment kicks off mere minutes before the flashback that served as the opening sequence in Paddington 2, expanding on how the young orphaned cub came to be rescued by his adoptive guardians, Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) and the late Uncle Pastuzo (previously voiced by Michael Gambon), back in Peru. Then, after a brief update on how the Brown family has been fairing, we get down to business. A letter from the Reverand Mother (Olivia Colman) of the Home for Retired Bears reveals that beloved Aunt Lucy hasn’t quite been herself lately. This leaves Paddington with no other choice: he must return to Peru for the first time since arriving in London.
Mary, aka Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer), has got enough on her plate as well, trying to desperately uphold precious family time that seems to be slipping away all too easily as their daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) prepares to head off to university. Their son, Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), hasn’t been helping the situation either, as he’s now a conventional, reclusive teenage boy. Thus, with Henry, aka Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville), also having been recently keen to take more risks in his life, the Browns make the spontaneous decision to accompany their precious bear companion to Peru as one family unit.
After basking in the golden rays of the South American sun while navigating the bustling roads of Peru, Paddington’s illusion of a grand reunion is shattered as it is revealed that Aunt Lucy has gone missing. Scavenging the Peruvian jungle lodges that compose the seemingly wholesome retirement home for clues, the Paddington and the Browns end up embarking on a treasure hunt of sorts, employing Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous) to take them upstream on their charming vessel to an Inca fortress known as Rumi Rock. Little do they know that their local skipper has his own devious investment in their adventure.
It’s truly admirable that in his feature directorial debut, Dougal Wilson effortlessly captures the integral charismatic spirit that was embedded into the very fabric of Paul King’s first two Paddington installments. Wilson comes from an extensive background in commercials and music videos, having collaborated with artists such as Coldplay, Goldfrapp, Benny Benassi, and LCD Soundsystem. In his jump to the big screen, Wilson continues the Paddington franchise’s streak of evoking unadulterated joy — eliminating all prior concerns about having a new filmmaker step in. Though it may not be as strong as its predecessors, Padding in Peru is still an endlessly endearing adventure that has more to say under its heart-warming exterior.
In many ways, Paddington in Peru feels structurally different from the previous two movies. This is due to its tendency to be rigidly formulaic, not in a way that is detrimental to the story but simply more calculated rather than effortless. The warming silliness that usually borders on absurdism is not entirely absent, yet certainly far more restrained this time around. The world-building is another aspect that teters on the weaker side, perhaps a side effect of London being such an iconic setting that tends to become a character in and of itself in the Paddington series.
Peru is not afforded the same level of detail as London in the other movies, and the country operates as more of a tropical backdrop than a cultural touchstone for Paddington as a character. Just under the surface of Paddington in Peru lies profound feelings centered around found family and the taxing nature of the immigrant experience. Now, there is a sort of hesitation felt in the script that prevents these themes from being explored in a more inquisitive manner. This just adds to the notion that, even though it’s still incredibly fun in its own right, Paddington in Peru may not be as emotionally complex as the previous two films.
Courtesy of StudioCanal
Where would Paddington be if not for Ben Whishaw’s tenderly emotive voice acting that continues to bring our cherished bear pal to life? Aside from Whishaw’s consistently superb work, it is unsurprising that once again, the Oscar-winning Olivia Colman emerges as a standout scene-stealer. Colman fits right into this zany adventure as the welcoming but ever so slightly mysterious Reverand Mother, who even boasts her own stellar musical number! On another note, Emily Mortimer continues to capture Mrs. Brown’s sensitive nature while stepping in to replace Sally Hawkins, who has since departed the franchise.
When all is said and done, Paddington in Peru doesn’t quite reach the exemplary gold standard set by the first two Paddington movies. However, that bar is admittedly extremely high to the point where it doesn’t make this sequel any less of a true pleasure to watch. Paddington in Peru is clearly made with such affection for its titular spectacled bear and his core beliefs. It is a worthy installment that contributes to Paddington’s past and present, one that will, thankfully, only continue to expand with plans for Paddington 4 firmly in the books.
Paddington in Peru is now playing in U.K. theaters and will be released in the U.S. on January 17!
Release Dates: November 9, 2024 (UK) and January 17, 2025 (US).
Directed by Dougal Wilson.
Screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, & James Lamont.
Story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, & Mark Burton.
Based on Paddington Bear by Michael Bond.
Produced by Rosie Alison.
Executive Producers: Paul King, Ron Halpern, Jeffrey Clifford, Naoya Kinoshita, Anna Marsh, & Dan MacRae.
Main Cast: Ben Whishaw, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Carla Tous, & Simon Farnaby.
Cinematographer: Erik Wilson.
Composer: Dario Marianelli.
Production Companies: StudioCanal, Columbia Pictures, Stage 6 Films, Kinoshita Group, Marmalade Pictures, & TSG Entertainment.
Distributor: StudioCanal (UK) & Sony Studio Releasing (US).
Runtime: 106 minutes.
Rated PG.
