Imagine going from testing the IP value of a fictional bear through film to having one of the most beloved sequels of modern times. That’s been the cinematic journey of Paddington thus far, which doesn’t make things easy for Paddington in Peru. Fortunately, this third entry in the series doesn’t try to replicate what made 2017’s Paddington 2 inexplicably spectacular. Instead, it offers a jungle adventure for the famed bear and the Brown family, which director Dougal Wilson (stepping in for Paul King) does what he can with to make for another delightful 100 minutes spent with the nicest and most polite bear in history.
As far as the plot is concerned, Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw), a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Paddington and his family, which includes weapons expert Harry Brown (Hugh Bonneville) and CIA agent Mary Brown (Emily Mortimer), along with their two kids Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), land in Central America, something is wrong. After finding a string of dead bodies, the Browns discover they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.
See Also: ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Review: Speeding Through Shadows
Okay, so none of that is true. Paddington does not go up against the Predator. However, I’d imagine a coveted Hard Stare from an upstanding Andean bear would likely make the deadly Yautja run for cover. Honestly, this series has such an incredible understanding of how to utilize Paddington that the bear could be added to any story and at least deliver in the parts requiring his earnestness. That said, the other joy of this series is how much effort is put into ensuring the supporting characters have their own arcs and emotional complexities, which largely derive from how Paddington lends them the opportunity to show that anyone can be fundamentally decent at their core.
By the way, this film’s story is actually pretty simple (and just as dangerous…?). Paddington and the Browns travel to Peru in search of his Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton). She’s disappeared from the Home for Retired Bears, and according to the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), she was apparently searching for something in the jungle. Aiding in their quest, the Browns recruit a riverboat captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous), to help. However, Cabot’s own desires to find the lost city of El Dorado may coincide with what Paddington is after.
Moving things out of London and taking away many of the fun characters from Paddington’s neighborhood in the process (most make a cameo at the top of the film), there’s a clear effort to distinguish this effort from the previous movie and do as much as it can to avoid a sense of diminishing returns. With that in mind, the basic nature of a Paddington movie is for a villain to reveal themselves amid our kind family, and have the two engage in cat-and-mouse antics reliant heavily on silent comedy-style humor, clever and dryly funny dialogue, along with broad comedy bits that are aware of how obvious they are, making them all the funnier in the process.
Looking at the cast members listed, unless the viewer is a young child, there will be no doubt concerning who’s on what side and their motivation. Seeing Paddington in Peru go to whatever lengths it feels necessary to delay certain inevitable confrontations is only as fun as it is because the movie operates on being a delightful romp in the way it adds intensely likable people into wacky situations. Bonneville, in particular, gets plenty of mileage out of his push to take more risks, and what that leads to when it comes to being in a jungle with various deadly animals abound.
Of course, these films know how to deliver when it comes to the veteran A-list actors joining the cast. The first film had Nicole Kidman, the second had a spectacular Hugh Grant (along with a hilariously under-sung Brendan Gleeson), and now we have Banderas and Colman. Colman shines as she does, with an extended musical number that knows just how to overdo it to the point of getting funnier as it goes along. Naturally, she also has more to do once the movie lays all its cards on the table.
Banderas is also great, as I would expect. The famed Spanish actor may have an Oscar nomination for his great work with Pedro Almodovar, but he’s never not fun in these family-friendly roles, whether it’s here or in the second SpongeBob movie, Sponge Out of Water (which deserved just as much award consideration). In Paddington in Peru, there’s an amusing running gag that I do not want to spoil, but it certainly leans into just how dedicated an actor like Banderas can get when it comes to sticking with the bit.
As far as this film’s adventurous yearnings go, Paddington is really going for it. The bear is romancing stones, finding lost cities, and doing all he can to have fun with Indiana Jones references. In particular, a third-act action sequence pays homage to one of the more famous moments involving the famed archaeologist, but with a twist baked into the comedy logic that informs this series. This is fortunately not going to be the last crusade for our hero, but in the realm of jungle movies, Paddington in Peru pulls off what’s needed for this film’s particular journey.
Through it all, Paddington in Peru also stays true to what is so important about the character and how the films are structured around him – being heartfelt. Whishaw’s soothing vocal tones as Paddington are already enough to hit at certain emotions. However, there’s also near effortless joy that comes from seeing the Browns succeed, based on their individual growth that still manages to keep them all bonded together. On top of that, even amid a story with villains and danger, there’s nothing cynical about these films. Yet, they don’t crush the viewer by being too saccharine, either. Even as the third (and weakest) entry, there’s hardly a beat missed when it comes to affecting the viewer in the right ways.
Clearly, I’m all in on Paddington. Everyone involved in this cinematic franchise seems to know what they’re doing, and I continue to feel delighted by all of the antics and sweetness on display in these films. It shouldn’t be this wild to consider the idea of a movie series rooted in kindness as being one that works as well as this one does, but here we are. In whatever ways this third entry may not rise to the occasion of the others, it’s hardly a matter when leaving the theater filled with so much joy.
Paddington in Peru opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.
