Paddington In Peru (2024) - Film Review

      Paddington in Peru, 2024.

      Directed by Dougal Wilson.

      Featuring Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Samuel Joslin, Madeleine Harris, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Carla Tous, Hayley Atwell, Oliver Maltman, Joel Fry, Robbie Gee, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Imelda Staunton, Ben Miller, Jessica Hynes, Ella Dacres, Aloreia Spencer, Nicholas Burns, Ashleigh Reynolds, Amit Shah, Ella Bruccoleri, Carlos Carlín, Simon Farnaby, Emma Sidi, Hugh Grant, and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Paddington travels back to Peru to see his dear Aunt Lucy, who now lives at the Home for Retired Bears. Accompanied by the Brown family, they embark on an exciting adventure as a mystery leads them on an unforeseen journey.

      This installment, Paddington in Peru, replaces the London escapades filled with humorous mishaps and heartfelt appeals for kindness with a CGI-heavy, formulaic Amazonian quest, which, while charming, fails to reach the highs of earlier films. It represents a notable decline in quality, often resembling an ordinary family-friendly movie that prioritizes thrills over clever dialogue and meaningful lessons in etiquette. Even the thematic elements appear to be an afterthought, reminding audiences of the movie's essence just before the ending in a half-hearted and careless manner.

      None of this comes as a surprise, as Dougal Wilson takes the reins from Paul King, who directed the first two films before shifting his focus to Willy Wonka, contributing only to the screenplay here. The screenplay is crafted by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont (with Paddington initially created by Michael Bond), none of whom were involved in the previous films. The latter two contributed to an animated series called The Adventures of Paddington, which might explain why Paddington (still voiced by Ben Whishaw with a charming and polite demeanor) feels true to his character.

      However, most of the amusing moments are concentrated at the beginning (such as a photo booth in London or a comically broken floorboard when searching for a clue) and fade away as the plot shifts to three different groups of characters on a treasure hunt. Specifically, Paddington aims to locate his missing Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton), who had sent him a letter expressing loneliness, only to vanish by the time he and the Brown family reach Peru’s Home for Retired Bears. The suspicious Mother Reverend (a playful Olivia Colman, who gets to showcase some silly singing as well) often incriminates herself in a running gag regarding Aunt Lucy's disappearance, leaving only her glasses and a sacred bracelet linked to El Dorado as clues to her whereabouts.

      Joined by the supportive Brown family, who have grown children and are drifting apart, they hope this vacation will help them reconnect. Paddington, alongside the Brown family, enlists boat tour guide Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous) to venture into uncharted waters. Gina advises against this journey, but Hunter empathizes with Paddington’s situation and bravely faces the dangers, which also involves him seeing literal ancestral ghosts (also humorously portrayed by Antonio Banderas) pushing a family curse tied to a quest for El Dorado treasure.

      Their adventure includes encounters with potentially dangerous spiders, jungle treks, and character betrayals en route to the treasure. While this might sound exciting and refreshing, it ultimately feels somewhat routine and is only elevated by Paddington's dependable charm. Even the Brown family members (played by Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer stepping into Sally Hawkins' role, along with adult children Samuel Joslin and Madeleine Harris) have minimal involvement. The latter are noticeably quiet at times, mainly playing a supporting role to the family's narrative thread.

      From a technical standpoint, Paddington in Peru offers something new for the franchise and retains the signature charm of the characters, presenting likable quirky villains and delightful voice work from Ben Whishaw, which still provides a touching element, though lacking a strong emotional impact this time. While it's a solid effort, it doesn’t shine as brightly as the previous two films.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He also serves as the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd.