Carl Roberts 
“Paddington In Peru is a delight from start to finish. From the opening to the end credits, there’s so much fun to be had.”
Paddington In Peru is the third movie in the charming family-orientated series. Once again inspired by the works of Michael Bond, the films directed by Dougal Wilson, and written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamout, from a story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Burton. Ben Whishaw returns as the voice of Paddington, with Hugh Bonneville. Emily Mortimer (replacing Sally Hawkins). Julie Walters. Jim Broadbent. Madeleine Harris. Samuel Joslin. Olivia Colman. Antonio Banderas and Carla Tous. After the first two films, we could be forgiven for thinking that the franchise would be running out of steam, that we’d seen all there was to see with the marmalade-loving bear. Not a chance. Paddington In Peru is a delight from start to finish. From the opening to the end credits, there’s so much fun to be had.
PREMISE
Get ready for the journey of a lifetime as PADDINGTON IN PERU brings the world’s most beloved bear back to his roots, his homeland Peru. Following the adventures of PADDINGTON and PADDINGTON 2, Paddington is still living happily with the Brown family in Windsor Gardens. But when he receives a letter from The Reverend Mother. The blithe guitar-strumming nun who runs the Home for Retired Bears – with news that Aunt Lucy misses him dearly, he knows he must visit her as soon as possible.
With his shiny new British passport in hand, Paddington is joined by the Browns. Including the ever-resourceful Mrs Bird, who is on an epic journey that none of them will ever forget. Along the way, the group meet new friends, including the dashing riverboat captain Hunter and his daughter Gina. They join them on their thrilling escapades through the Amazon rainforest and up to the stunning mountain peaks of Peru. Together they encounter unexpected challenges, and Paddington begins to uncover surprising secrets about his past. Throughout the ups and downs, his unwavering optimism and kindness shine brightly in this brand-new Paddington cinematic adventure. That reinforces the importance of family and the joy of embracing one’s heritage.
THOUGHTS
Let’s not beat around the bush (or Orange tree), you know exactly what you’re going to get with a Paddington movie. An enjoyable, enlightening, heartfelt and often hilarious film for the whole family. And so it goes here. From the very start, we are completely entertained by what the film holds. Taking it out of London for the most part, the movie opens up the world of Paddington and takes it to a whole new level. Taking him to his birth home of Peru and on an adventure to find his Aunt Lucy, the writers have done exactly what the franchise needed. It gives the film a huge boost, a shot in the arm by moving the action to another country.
With some truly epic visuals, the film looks glorious at every turn. The contrast between England and Peru is evident in every shot. The concrete suburbia of London is replaced by the mountains of Peru and in particular, the amazing location of Machu Picchu. It is a visual feast for our eyes. Add in some terrific humour with some aimed squarely at the adults in the audience and some enjoyable set pieces and you have the perfect mix to make the ideal family film. There is nothing offensive here, it is all good clean fun. Although there are a few tense moments at times, they are resolved quickly and often comically to leave the audience with a warm, comfortable feeling throughout.
THE CAST
The cast all play second fiddle to Paddington himself, of course. Ben Whishaw voices the main character with his typically soft vocal tones as usual. It fits the character of Paddington perfectly, making us fall in love with him as soon as he speaks. Whishaw’s delivery of his dialogue is pitch-perfect, giving Paddington a voice that sticks in our minds at every turn. Even when Paddington gives his ‘Hard Stare’ and announces it, we can’t help but take him to our hearts. We find ourselves falling in love with him at every turn. And that is amped up by Ben Whishaw’s vocals.
Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown is every bit the dad to humans and bears alike in a wonderful performance. Bonneville has grown into his role over the course of the three films and now has the character down to fine art. Henry is told he must be more daring early in the film, something he embraces over the course of the events to varying effect. Bonneville knows when to be serious and when to let his playful, funny side out, giving Henry some much-needed depth. Emily Mortimer as Mary Brown takes on the role formerly played by Sally Hawkins with ease. It is a seamless transition, giving Mary an even bigger quality than before. One playful spat between Mary and Henry is wonderful to behold, with Bonneville and Emily Mortimer playing off each other brilliantly.
CHILDREN BECOME ADULTS
Mary, however, has to face the daunting prospect every parent must face. The move into adulthood of her children, the distancing from parents as they reach maturity. This comes into play here with Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown and Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown begin to go their own ways, taking their own paths. Suddenly, things that seemed normal, never to change, are no longer there. The flying of the nest, so to speak. Mary is attending and living at University and Mary feels as if a part of her has gone. Even when trying to have some time with her daughter, to continue their routines is politely but firmly shunned, we see the hurt on Mary’s face.
Jonathan on the other hand is simply just a brat. Continuing to create his inventions, he has no time really for either parent. In a scene near the beginning of the film, we see his inventions at work in his bedroom, including one that slams the door in his parents’ faces. While it is comedic, we can understand that this is another example of the widening gap between parents and children, the desire for their own space and to do things away from the comforting arms of their mother and father. These issues will strike a chord with parents in the audience, knowing that they face that situation later on if they haven’t experienced it already. But of course, a trip to Peru and a family adventure is what it takes to bring the family together again, regaining the closeness that threatens to disappear.
THE SUPPORTING CAST
With a supporting cast that includes Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas and Carla Tous, some of them may struggle for screen time. Actually though, it is Jim Broadbent as Samuel Gruber who gets the short shrift here, appearing in what’s little more than a cameo. Samuel’s friendship with Paddington and his stash of Peruvian artefacts do lend the plot some much-needed gravitas, spinning a plot thread which is vital to what’s to come. Broadbent is always welcome when he appears on screen and his brief but enjoyable appearance here makes us smile. Julie Walters as Mrs Bird is a minx throughout. Despite not having really that much to do, Julie Walters makes the most of her time on screen, coming across as a Miss Marple-type figure at times. And as can be expected, she steals the limelight when she appears.
Carla Tous as Gina Cabot is a welcome addition to the film. Gina is a grounding force and acts as stability to her father, Hunter throughout. She gets her own time to shine here, never letting the spotlight stray from her when she is on screen. The young Spanish actress more than holds her own against some of the bigger names she appears with, giving her character a spark and strength that is wonderful to witness. Not once is she overawed when she appears in the film, making her character an enjoyable and much-needed one.
ANTONIO BANDERAS AND OLIVIA COLMAN
Of the new additions to the cast, it is Antonio Banderas who gets the main screen time. As Hunter Cabot, Banderas not only gets to show his ruggedness and his leading man abilities, but he also shows us a superb comic side once again. Hunter is a tortured man, one with a backstory that comes into play throughout brilliantly. His sheer presence in the film more than makes up for his appearance in Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny even though he plays almost the same character. Here, it is played for laughs that shine through, giving the film an added sparkle. In one sequence set on Machu Picchu, Banderas has a field day, letting his inner child out to play. The actor looks like he is having a whale of a time here throughout and it shows in his performance.
Olivia Colman is simply hilarious in her role as The Mother Superior. From her narration, as Paddington reads the letter from Aunt Lucy to her final scenes, she is mysterious, bubbly and comically brilliant. We know something’s off with her from the time we first meet her in Peru in her role as the head of the Home For Retired Bears. But we can’t quite put our finger on it. Throughout, she has us guessing what her true motives in helping Paddington and the Browns really are. But it is the journey towards the revelation that entertains us. And I defy anyone not to be in fits of laughter at the musical sequence about twenty minutes into the film. It will invoke memories of a certain musical movie set in Austria that constantly appears on Christmas TV. And it sends it up gloriously.
THE DIRECTION AND THE SCRIPT
Dougal Wilson, making his feature film debut here as director with Paddington In Peru shows he has the talent to make big screen movies. His eye for detail, the colour palette he gives the film, the direction of his main actors and the way he times the comic moments are superb. With his background in making adverts and his direction of a Coldplay music video, Wilson brings his sense of style and vision to proceedings, giving the film a polished, enchanting and colourful look that benefits it from start to finish.
The screenplay is written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamout. From a story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Burton is another huge plus for the film. The plot of the film may sound basic but they infuse it with moments of genuine hilarity, action, suspense and fun. At every turn, they manage to throw up surprises as well as pay homage to certain other adventure films along the way. My one, minor complaint about the film is they missed a a trick or two with a sequence on Machu Picchu. Of course, I’m not going to spoil it for you but you will see what I mean. Ok, it may have been cheesy to put that kind of nod in but it is a missed opportunity. But that is merely a minor quibble.
VERDICT
Paddington In Peru is a sheer delight. Fans of the franchise, books and TV series will get a huge kick out of this third big-screen adventure. For those new to the series, there are a few moments where knowledge of what’s gone before may be beneficial. But, to be truthful, it won’t distract them from the enjoyment that is on offer here. Young children will be laughing in delight at the lovable bear gets up to, his innocence and his wonderful charm. Adults will laugh knowingly at some of the humour that will go over the youngsters’ heads. The film is good, clean, harmless family fun that will become a firm favourite instantly and a must-watch family film that will live on long in the memory after it ends.
With the added bonus of some brilliant cameos along the way, the film will leave you with a warm, snuggly feeling. A word to the wise though, DON’T leave the cinema when the end credits begin to roll or you’ll miss out on some more brilliant humour and one BIG cameo. Stay in your seat until the credits have finished to get the full enjoyment of the film. Paddington In Peru has served up a delicious pre-Christmas treat for us all. One that is tasty all the way through and beyond. Take your seats, sit back and let the film fill you with fun and laughter. And don’t forget to pack an ample supply of marmalade sandwiches for the journey.
Paddington In Peru will be in cinemas from November 8th, courtesy of StudioCanal.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
