Paddington the Bear is a quintessential icon of British pop culture and has been for decades now, the blue coat and red hat outfit along with his thirst for marmalade sandwiches, are as recognisable as you get for a fictional character. He’s so British he’s now been granted a British passport by the Home Office – actually to be used as a prop for his latest film. That would be Paddington in Peru, the third film in the delightful family franchise that has won the hearts of millions worldwide.
Paddington (Ben Whishaw) and his adopted family, the Browns, decide to visit his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) in Peru, but circumstances lead them towards misadventures in the Amazon rainforest and mountains of Peru.
There’s a whimsical nature to these films that makes them such a treat for the whole family, and that’s definitely the case here in the third film. A total change of scenery from the city of London to the dense jungles of Peru allows the film to breathe fresh air into the franchise – perilous boat cruises and plane landings certainly a change of pace for Paddington and Co. Dougal Wilson takes over from Paul King in the director’s chair and he delivers solid work throughout, assured in handling the daunting task of making this another success. It’s closer to the first film in terms of quality and doesn’t live up to the great heights of the second (what does exactly?) but, most importantly, it remains fun, especially for the younger generation.
The same heart and humour that have graced the franchise are there for all to see again, a screenplay littered with visual gags and humour so British you just have to be proud. While it does have heart, the narrative isn’t as strong or as emotionally rewarding as the previous film, so it has to go down as the weakest of the three so far. However many of these they make we don’t know but one thing’s for sure, Paddington 2 will always be the standard to beat.
Ben Whishaw once again brings Paddington to life with such a soothing voice performance that just puts you at ease, even when the family are in a bit of trouble. His voice and the visual effects combined do a wonderful job in bringing this iconic character to life, the detail in particular on his face being mightily impressive. Other performances from the family don’t stand out too much but it’s the new faces of Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman that work a treat for the film. It’s been a feature of these films seeing big names ham it up – Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant both making their mark in previous films – and both Banderas and Colman leave nothing behind as they absolutely go for it with their performances.
While it might just be the weakest of the trilogy, Paddington in Peru is proof that, even when these films are of a more average standard, they’re still better than most family films out there. So, make a batch of marmalade sandwiches and get down to your nearest cinema to see this bear on his latest adventure.
★★★ 1/2
In UK cinemas November 8th / Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas / Dir: Dougal Wilson / StudioCanal / PG
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