Paddington in Peru (2025)
Directed by: Dougal Wilson
Premise: The third film in the Paddington film series. The bear and his adoptive British family travel to Peru when Paddington’s Aunt Lucy has gone missing.
What Works: The Paddington series has become quite popular especially since the release of the second film in 2017. Paddington in Peru continues much of what fans enjoyed about these movies. The franchise repeats certain gags such as the marmalade sandwich Paddington keeps in his hat and the “hard stare” bit and those moments are repeated here. The Paddington films have been so endearing because of their earnest good heartedness and quirky sense of humor and the third film contains those qualities as well. But after two films set in London, the filmmakers change the scenery with the bear and his adoptive family going to Paddington’s home in the forest of Peru. It’s a fresh approach to the material that shakes up the formula. The Brown family are put into an unfamiliar environment and this story is more overtly adventurous than the previous films. Paddington in Peru fulfills the duty of a sequel to raise the stakes and expand the scope. Paddington and the Browns take a river boat in search of Aunt Lucy and they’re put into more dangerous situations than the previous films. The children of the Brown family are on the verge of adulthood and Paddington in Peru deals with empty nest syndrome as the children prepare to leave home and the parents cope with the prospect of letting go. This theme of family and home and breaking away are paralleled by the other characters, giving Paddington in Peru a pleasant unity throughout the story.
What Doesn’t: Paddington in Peru is a better movie that the first film but it isn’t quite as good as Paddington 2 which was an exceptional family film made with style and humor and even moments of gravitas. Emily Mortimer takes over the role of Mary, the mother of the Brown family previously played by Sally Hawkins. Mortimer does a good job but she doesn’t have the whimsical quality that Hawkins brought to the role. Paddington in Peru uses an approach common to third chapters; the story goes back to the beginning and redefines the origin of the character. Not much ultimately comes of this revelation. The family goes through some changes but Paddington is rather inert as a character.
Bottom Line: Paddington in Peru as another successful addition to this franchise. It ought to satisfy fans of the previous installments and the movie will play for children and their parents.
Episode: #1039 (March 16, 2025)