The director of the previous two films, Paul King, decided not to direct this installment
Synopsis
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved aunt Lucy, who is currently living at the Bear Retirement Home. The Brown family embarks on an exciting adventure when a mystery takes them on an unexpected journey. However, he came up with the idea for this third film and served as an executive producer. He starred in Graham Norton and Guests: Billy Crystal/Emily Mortimer/Hugh Bonneville/Pharrell Williams/Michael Kiwanuka (2024). ‘Paddington in Peru (2024)’ is not as good as ‘Paddington 2 (2017)’, but it’s not as much of a step back as some early reactions led me to believe.
It’s a genuinely beautiful film, and sometimes that’s all it needs
For the most part, it’s still an entertaining and delightfully polite experience that’s as enjoyable as it is fast-paced. While the more conventional adventure narrative is less unique than the vignette approach of the first two films, it still works well enough in this context, allowing its lovable characters to continue to captivate you even as they are subjected to the classic sequel. They are pulled out of their natural habitat to reveal the protagonist’s as-yet-unknown origins. There are plenty of funny moments, and the film is hilarious from the very first frame. What it lacks compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core.
The narrative is generally quite conventional, and follows a set formula almost entirely
Despite some of its moving moments, the piece isn’t particularly poignant and won’t get your tear ducts going. Plus, some of its character work is rather superficial, and as my brother pointed out, it almost feels like an obligatory afterthought. It’s fairly predictable and feels relatively generic, almost like it was built on top of Paddington after the basic beats had already been laid out. Despite its few problems, there’s still more than enough to like about the feature. Its lovable cast is as strong as ever, with a couple of delightful newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) cheerfully chewing up the scenery when needed.
It’s a very good time
The special effects are consistently good, believably bringing the eponymous bear to life in a way that makes it strange to think he’s never actually in the same space as the rest of the cast. When he’s not, of course, on the red carpet, you feel like someone’s missing. The film is light and bouncy; it really flies by, and it’s generally a lot of fun. It’s jam-packed with jam, both visually and in dialogue, and scenes that sweep you off your feet. Ultimately, it’s a thoroughly respectable addition to a series that’s well-made and thoroughly enjoyable.
It’s much better than a lot of similar fare
It’s unfortunate that it follows “Paddington 2 (2017),” as an argument could be made for it being the best — or at least the most universally appealing — picture of all time, because it truly is a great family film. If you’re expecting the best movie of all time (again) or even the second-best movie of all time, you’ll obviously be disappointed. However, it’s a rock-solid effort that’s charming and entertaining in every single scene. If you’re not expecting miracles, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.