42/12
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who is now living at the Bear Nursing Home. As the Brown family moves forward, a thrilling adventure unfolds as a mystery takes them on an unexpected journey. Paul King, the director of the previous two films, decided not to direct this one. However, he pitched the idea for this third film and served as executive producer. Graham Norton Show Movie: Billy Crystal / Emily Mortimer / Hugh Bonneville / Pharrell Williams / Michael Kiwanuka (2024). ‘Paddington in Peru (2024)’ isn’t quite as good as Paddington 2 (2017), but it’s not as big a step down as some early reactions led me to believe. For the most part, it’s still a fun and pleasantly polite experience, as enjoyable as it is edgy. While the standard adventure narrative is less idiosyncratic than the vignette approach of the first two pictures, it still works well in this context, allowing its charming characters to continue to fascinate even as they grapple with the classic sequel. are taken out of their natural habitat to explore the protagonist’s still-unknown origins. There’s no shortage of funny moments, and the film is humorous from the very first scene. It’s a genuinely great film, and sometimes that’s all you need. Compared to its predecessors, it lacks a strong emotional core. While some of its moments are touching, the play isn’t particularly moving and won’t bring tears to your eyes. Additionally, some of its character work is rather perfunctory and, as my brother pointed out, almost feels like a forced corollary. The narrative is generally quite conventional, and follows a specific formula almost to the letter. It’s quite predictable and feels quite generic, almost as if it was adapted into Paddington after its basic beats were already established. Despite a few issues, there’s still more than enough to like about this feature. Its charming cast is as strong as ever, with a couple of excellent newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) happily chewing the scenery whenever necessary. The special effects are consistently good, bringing the eponymous bear to life in such a way that it’s strange to think he’s never in the same space as the other characters. When he doesn’t naturally appear on the red carpet, it feels like something is missing. The film is light and lively; it really flies and is generally a lot of fun. It’s packed with visuals and dialogue points and jaw-dropping action scenes that leave you speechless. It’s a really good time. Ultimately, this is a perfectly respectable addition to its series, one that’s well-crafted and entertaining. It’s a shame that it follows Paddington 2 (2017) because there’s an argument to be made about which is the best – or at least the most universally appealing – picture of all time, because it really is a great family film. If you’re expecting the best film of all time (again) or even the second-best film of all time, you’ll obviously be disappointed. But it’s a solid effort that delights and entertains in almost every scene. It’s far better than many similar fare. If you’re not expecting a miracle, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.