Certificate – PG
Directed By – Dougal Wilson
Starring – Ben Whishaw (voice), Emily Mortimer, Hugh Bonneville, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Carla Tous, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Imelda Staunton (voice).
Running Time – 106 Minutes (1 Hour 46 Minutes)
After seven years away since he broke out of prison and was once again a free bear, Paddington is finally back. However, will it have the same charm and joy without the creative team behind the original two instalments?
Paddington In Peru brings Paddington’s story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up the mountain peaks of Peru.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, knowing the script wasn’t written by Simon Farnaby and Paul King wasn’t directing, and while it felt different, it was like the warm, loving hug these films make you feel.
This is the most perfect trilogy since Toy Story, and if it is to be the last, what a wonderful way to end it.
The overriding theme is coming-of-age; everyone in the Brown family is entering a new phase in life, be it the children we met in the first film becoming young adults to being a parent and letting your children become adults.
The other theme is a fish-out-of-water taking Paddington and the Browns out of London and going on an adventure and learning that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, you’ll always find your home.
The inclusion of Olivia Coleman was always a hope to see the Oscar-winning actress appear in this series, and after our wish was granted, she didn’t disappoint and delivered the most comedic moments in the film. As The Reverend Mother lives to the mantle of never trusting a nun in film/TV.
There were some lovely visual moments, like taking the musical moment that was so popular in the sequel and moving it to the opening act, and bringing Mrs Brown’s paintings to life was beautiful.
I only have a few nip-picky things that didn’t work for me.
The main one is Emily Mortimer, who does a brilliant job but feels more like a step-mum version of Mrs. Brown compared to Sally Hawkins. Meanwhile, I hoped to see more of Judy (Harris) and Jonathan (Joslin) this time and was slightly disappointed they had far less to do here than in the second.
Does The Blu-Ray have Special Features?
Yes, they’re all lovely, especially the Making Of featurette.
- The Home For Retired Bears Tour
- Brown’s House Tour
- The Making Of Paddington In Peru
- The Story of Paddington In Peru
- ‘Let’s Prepare For Paddington’ With Reverend Mother
Verdict
The film had a sense of being the final chapter in Paddington’s story, and it was a lovely story to end.
The Bear Cave 