The third “Paddington” film, marking the return of the beloved bear, released on Netflix this week after premiering in theatres back in mid-February. This recent installment was directed by Dougal Wilson in his first feature directorial debut, marking a departure from the past two films, both of which were directed by Paul King. Just like in previous films, Paddington Brown, now an official British citizen, is as charming and enrapturing as ever. But, when Paddington’s Aunt Lucy first begins acting out of character and disappears from her place at the Home for Retired Bears in the jungles of Peru, Paddington and the Browns, make a chaotic journey through the wilderness to find her.
“Paddington in Peru” features the returning voice of Ben Whishaw as Paddington, along with Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Madeline Harris, Samuel Joslin and Julie Walters as the Brown family. Mortimer took over the role of Mrs. Brown, previously played by Sally Hawkins. Whishaw’s portrayal of Paddington is as picture-perfect as it was in the first two films, putting the final flourish on an already lovable character and his unfortunate habit of getting himself into difficult situations.
The film is a solid two hours of not-quite-serious entertainment. “Paddington in Peru” shows that a film doesn’t need to be mindless garbage to attract an audience. With the state of children’s media in its never-ending competition with low-effort, attention-grabbing slop on YouTube and other streaming services, the third Paddington film makes it clear that all you need to create a good family film (regardless of how far-fetched the plot may be) is a lovable cast, as silly as the idea itself may be.
Bottom line is that the latest installment in the “Paddington” franchise is just as fun and enjoyable as the last two – a prime example of a third film done right.