Paddington In Peru review: Ben Whishaw return can’t compete with Hugh Grant classic
Seven years on from its release, Paddington 2 isn’t just one of the best family films of the 2010s, it’s one of the best films full-stop, having become an absolute modern classic. Building on the wholesome inaugural Paddington film released in 2014 to critical success, director Paul King established a film franchise stuffed full with doses of joy, and of course there’s real tearjerker moments too.
The original film’s popularity was such that it replaced Citizen Kane as the most critically adored film on website Rotten Tomatoes. Any follow-up will feel the pressure to deliver more of the same, but with King leaving the franchise to make last year’s Wonka, it’s up to first time feature director Dougal Wilson to make us feel the way we did in 2017.
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We rejoin Paddington Bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw), whose happy life with adopted family The Browns is disrupted when he receives word from Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), a nun in charge of his Aunt Lucy’s retirement home in Peru. Hearing that Aunt Lucy has not been herself lately, Paddington sets off to his homeland with The Browns in tow, only to find on their arrival that Lucy has disappeared into the jungle.
They hire a boat because part of the journey involves adventuring deep into the Amazon, but its captain (Antonio Banderas) has sinister motives that look set to put the clan in peril. Taking the action out of London removes some of the eccentric humour we’d grown used to with the first two installments, meaning Paddington In Peru can feel a little too polished at times, but nevertheless this familiar adventure is an enticing watch.
Despite the shift to a safer tone, the character of Paddington himself feels engaging. His ability to make mundane tasks such as getting a passport photo into hilarious acts of physical comedy means fans young and old will get at least some of the fun of the previous movies. Throwing him into scenic Peruvian backdrops also opens up the door for more well-intentioned accidents. The cast also ensure there’s never a dull moment.
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Colman is clearly having a blast as the wacky sister; she and The Browns’ housemaid Mrs Bird (Julie Walters) get the biggest laughs out of the human contingent. Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer (replacing Sally Hawkins) add heart as Mr and Mrs Brown, looking to have memorable experiences with their children before they’re too old.
Banderas can be hit and miss as the villain, again suffering by comparison to Hugh Grant’s imperious turn last time. Paddington In Peru misses some of the magic of its predecessors, but for the target audience of families looking for a fun adventure, there’s plenty of life left in the earnest bear and his mishaps.