“Paddington in Peru” graced theaters with Paddington’s endearing charm, though many viewers were left feeling unsatisfied. Having cherished the previous “Paddington” films, I eagerly anticipated this third installment, and it unfortunately did not live up to its predecessors’ legacies. While the previous two installments, “Paddington” and “Paddington 2,” had a perfect balance of humor and plenty of serious moments, “Paddington in Peru” just didn’t appear to get the memo.
The story follows Paddington and the Browns on a journey to Peru in search of Aunt Lucy, leading them deep into the jungle and toward the mythical city of gold, El Dorado. While the idea and creative aspect of the plot are promising, the execution is decent at best with it feeling rushed. The humor was a hit-and-miss, often feeling forced, making it less engaging for kids and adults alike.
The most intriguing aspect of “Paddington in Peru” is the character development of Antioni Bandreas’ Hunter Cabot. He starts quite friendly, but there was something off about him. As the film progresses we see a more troubling side to him where he thinks gold is more valuable than anything else, even family. But of course, it’s a PG movie, so he won everyone’s hearts in the end. We also see Hunter proceed to take on progressively riskier challenges until he breaks, and that is what makes him such a well-made character.
Visually the film is stunning, with breathtaking shots of the Peruvian jungle and vibrant set designs. However, even the beautiful cinematography can’t distract the viewer from the weak script. Despite the stunning visuals and the star-studded cast, consisting of Hugh Bonneville still starring as Henry Brown, Emily Mortimer as Mary Brown, Ben Wishaw as the voice of Paddington and Imelda Staunton as the voice of Aunt Lucy, still doesn’t distract from the weak script. The script often led to very awkward and uneasy moments feeling that the film was rushed to meet the Valentines Day deadline that it was released on. The new voices in the film are Antonio Banderas’ flamboyant riverboat captain and Olivia Colman’s mischievous Reverend Mother, adding some energy to the film, but lacking the memorable presence of supporting characters from the past like Hugh Grant’s Phoenix Buchanan from “Paddington 2.”
The costume design is fine but lacks the same creativity that helped make the previous films feel so magical. The costumes seem more realistic—a college student wears jeans and a sweatshirt, a businessman wears a button-up or a suit and a Paddington, a bear wears a jacket—but we can ignore that due to how iconic it is between all three films. It works, but much like the rest of the movie, it doesn’t quite capture the charm that made Paddington’s earlier adventures so fun and special.
While “Paddington in Peru” has its charming moments, it ultimately feels like a step down from its ancestors and for the franchise as a whole. The heartwarming message of “family first” and “kindness” still makes this a good movie. Still, it’s buried under the unfinished characters, with some being hits and others being misses, and the underdeveloped plot. If I were to watch this without watching the other Paddington films, I would have thought better of it. However, I know that Studiocanal can, and has, produced much better films, and this is probably just some cash grab for a much bigger project. If you’re viewing this with a family, this is a great option, but if you want a good Paddington film, go back to the originals.
“Paddington in Peru:” ★★☆☆☆
