32/35

The director of the previous two films, Paul King, decided not to direct this installment

Line of Events

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. The Graham Norton cast includes Billy Crystal/Emily Mortimer/Hugh Bonneville/Pharrell Williams/Michael Kiwanuka (2024). “Paddington in Peru (2024)” isn’t as good as “Paddington 2 (2017),” but it’s not as big a step back as some early reactions led me to believe.

What it lacks compared to its predecessors is a strong emotional core

For the most part, it’s still a fun and delightfully polite experience that’s as enjoyable as it is lively. While the more standard adventure narrative is less unique than the vignette approach of the first two films, it still works well in this context, allowing its lovable characters to continue to captivate you even as they are forced out of their natural habitat to discover the protagonist’s still-unknown origins. There are plenty of funny moments, and the film is a good laugh from the very first frame. It’s a very cute film, and sometimes that’s all you need. While there are a few moving moments, the piece isn’t particularly touching and won’t get your tear ducts going.

The narrative is generally quite conventional, following a set formula almost to the letter

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 a Paddington adaptation once the basic beats have been mapped out. Despite its few problems, there’s still more than enough to make the film enjoyable. Its lovable cast is as strong as ever, and a couple of delightful newcomers (Antonio Banderas and Olivia Coleman) gleefully chew up the scenery when needed. 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 other characters.

It’s a really nice moment

When he’s not on the red carpet, of course, it feels like someone is missing. The film is light and lively; it really flies, and it’s generally a lot of fun. It’s full of visual and dialogue-based gags, and slapstick action scenes that will sweep you away. Ultimately, this is a perfectly respectable addition to its series, well-made and enjoyable from start to finish. It’s a shame that it follows “Paddington 2 (2017),” as it could be argued that it’s the best, or at least the most engaging, film of all time, because it’s truly a great family film.

It’s much better than many similar films

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. Still, it’s a rock-solid effort that’s charming and entertaining in almost every scene. If you’re not expecting miracles, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.