Paddington in PeruReview: How Does This Sequel Stack Up to the BelovedPaddington 2?

Mar. 15, 2025

The intrepid little bear goes searching for his missing grandmother.Photo:Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures

One of the most enjoyable things for a critic is to attend a screening for a family film. There you experience the unfettered happiness, delight and enthusiasm of an audience of applauding children. You’ll find no cynics inthatcrowd, except perhaps you yourself — a fact that makes you feel almost sheepish about expressing an opinion, except to note whether the film under consideration has any elements that might worry parents.

Well, they can all rest easy. The thirdPaddingtonmovie in a little over a decade,Paddington in Peruis silly, unflaggingly energetic and warm-hearted, if a little too fussed-over and not entirely fresh. That happens with successful franchises. You can change the dance steps, but not the shoes. Or something like that.

Anyway: As I was exiting the theater, I couldn’t help overhearing a young boy walking just in front of me and loudly chatting about the movie with his mother. I was astonished at the depth of his film knowledge: Having declared that he thoughtPaddington in Perudeservedat leasta B+, he went on to rattle off his thoughts aboutauteurtheory, the importance of VistaVision inThe BrutalistandtheEmilia PérezOscars controversy!

I couldn’t help but ask this critical prodigy if i could record and post his thoughts onPaddington in Peru.He was happy to oblige me, he said, as he took deep gulps from  a jumbo cup containing an iced beverage the same shade of blue as hospital scrubs.

“In fact, I think I prefer him inPaddington 2toHeretic,which to my disappointment didn’t really tackle its theme of religious philosophy with sufficientrigor—”

Paddington returns to his native Peru when he and the Browns, the loving human family who have taken him in, learn that his beloved old Aunt Lucy(The Crown’sImelda Staunton) has been declining rapidly.

“I will confess, I teared up at the end, first out of concern for Paddington’s fate, then out of relief — although if I remember correctly I may have criedmoreatInside Out 2.And you canbetI’m going to sobbucketsat the new Mike Leigh movie,Hard Truths!

“Regardless, Iwhollyrecommend this film!”

source: people.com