Some movies have a Herculean undertaking ahead of them, and Paddington in Peru is one of them, thanks to largely unabashed love for Paddington 2. Even seven years later, the 2017 family film boasts an 89 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the critics still sit at 99 percent. Few movies are quite as universally adored as Paddington 2. With that, Paddington in Peru, the long-awaited third film in the franchise, hits theaters this week. Does this adorable little bear still deserve all the marmalade? Or should he just go back into hibernation?
About Paddington in Peru
Paddington in Peru drops audiences back into the story of everyone’s favorite marmalade-eating bear. One day, as the Brown family is in a bit of a slump, Paddington (Ben Whishaw) learns Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) is going through hard times and would love a visit. Needing an escape, the rest of the family join him for a summer holiday they won’t forget. Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Julie Walters, Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas co-star in the movie. Dougal Wilson directs Paddington in Peru from a script by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont.
On-going franchises often struggle the deeper one dives into them. Cast members leave, creators shift into different roles and narratives change. Often, these changes don’t translate into continued success.
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Despite a few years separating the second and third entries, Paddington in Peru has been lucky enough to keep most of the team together. The series, of course, stands on the shoulders of Ben Whishaw’s low-key but iconic take on the title character. However, iconic performers like Julie Walters, Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer remain fully committed to the lovable family films.
An Easy, Heartfelt Story
Now, this is the first installment not helmed by writer and director Paul King. Dougal Wilson steps behind the camera, making his feature film directorial debut. While this is certainly a nerve-wracking shift, King remains present as an executive producer and receives story credit along with creative partners Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton. Their voices remain deftly felt in this easy, heartfelt story.
New cast members Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman jump into the movie with both feet. Colman, in particular, looks to be having a blast in a role that lets her have some fun, take some chances, and partake in a sizable song and dance number. Banderas, meanwhile, sinks his teeth into the inherent comedy in his role. Banderas plays multiple characters throughout the film, and truthfully, I would have loved to see these cartoonish caricatures a little bit more.
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Unsurprisingly, the script brings together a smooth blending of heart and humor, a hallmark for this series. There are a few blatant moments in the story of clear foreshadowing and exposition dumps that can bring the narrative to a crawl. Act Two, in particular, struggles with a bit of lag, while Antonio Banderas is saddled with several exposition dumps.
Prepare for the Sniffles
Through these structural issues, though, I can say that I still enjoyed Paddington in Peru. The film’s gentle humor and the sweet emotionality in the ending made this an entertaining viewing. Truthfully, as the film came to a close, there were some sniffles echoing throughout the noisy auditorium. Heck, yours truly was left more than a little misty.
While this is a family film at its core, it needs a bit of sophistication. As the film dropped into the last act, particularly the final main sequence, the kids in the audience started to feel the slightest bit fidgety. It’s a little long and a little talky, but with youngsters who are old enough to sit with some of the emotion, it’s a perfect fit.
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When all is said and done, Paddington in Peru has some astronomically big shoes to step into. Paddington 2 is as close to universally loved as many films get. While this third film in the franchise isn’t perfect, it still hits so many of the right beats. The humor and heart we’ve come to expect from this series goes down so smoothly, thanks to a welcomed consistency. The Paddington cast and crew have remained largely unchanged and the Paddington in Peru is so much better for it.
Paddington in Peru opens on February 14, 2025.
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