Shadows on the Wall | Paddington in Peru

Paddington in Peru

dir Dougal Wilson
prd Rosie Alison
scr Mark Burton, Jon Foster, James Lamont
with Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Julie Walters, Samuel Joslin, Madeleine Harris, Carla Tous, Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Hayley Atwell,Hugh Grant
release UK 8.Nov.24, US 17.Jan.25
24/UK StudioCanal 1h46

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walters, joslinm,harris,bonneville and mortimer with paddington

Britain's most loveable bear is back for another charming adventure, this time travelling deep into the South American rainforest. While the director and writers have changed, the movie remains whimsically silly and thoroughly involving, even if it's not quite as delightfully offbeat. So when the contrived plot takes over from the adorable characters, everything remains warmly amusing, including gentle but important notes about things like family and immigrants.

Needing to break their routine, Mr and Mrs Brown (Bonneville and Mortimer), their teen children (Joslin and Harris) and Mrs Bird (Walters) accompany Paddington (voiced by Whishaw) to Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy (Staunton). But the Reverend Mother (Colman) who runs Lucy's retirement home tells them she has vanished. So they head into the jungle with boat captain Hunter (Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Tous) to find her. A mythical stone monument awakens rumours of El Dorado, which brings out the greediest instincts in people and leads to a series of goofy perilous experiences.

Mixing broad slapstick with warm-hearted comedy has always set these films apart, as the stories draw on the characters' kindness while nodding at British eccentricities as seen through this furry immigrant's expressive eyes. This time, the references broaden to Indiana Jones, Werner Herzog and The Sound of Music. Along the way, the comedy feels less adventurous, although the plot's more thriller-like sequences are both funny and tense, especially when accompanied by Colman's dazzlingly deranged grin.

The voice work from Whishaw is as exceptional as always, even as the nature of the plot means that he is more serious than usual. Both Colman and Banderas dive in with gusto, creating colourfully bonkers characters who are hilarious in very different ways, they also gleefully play with their cinematic tropes as a singing nun and intrepid explorer. On her own adventure, Walters gets some terrific gags of her own, while Staunton adds a warm kick as the voice of Aunt Lucy. And stepping in seamlessly as Mrs Brown, Mortimer shines in the strongest emotional moments.

While this may feel less substantial than Paddington 2, which is a modern classic, there are several blissfully nutty moments that make this a memorable romp for audience members of any age. It's always welcome to have a strong message woven into the fabric of a movie instead of shouted loudly, and this narrative deals with some very complex emotions in pointed, resonant ways. There are also a couple of closing credits sequences that send us home laughing.

themes, violence 2.Nov.24

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