Guess it's a good moment for me to discuss this film, since I mentioned Paddington in my Sonic 1 review, not even two weeks ago. Full disclaimer, I heard great things about this film franchise, but I hadn't seen any of them until very recently (as in, December last year or this year). Even then, I only really caught the latter half of the first; that said, I did see the second film in full; you know, the one that temporarily dislodged Citizen Kane as the best-reviewed film of all time? Yep, that one.
This Paddington movie wasn't directed by Paul King like the previous two; Dougal Wilson took over the role. Considering the reputation those two films have, Wilson had big shoes to fill.
The story
Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) has been living in United Kingdom with the Browns for several years now, to the point of being properly adopted by them. (Sounds a bit like the other movie I'm reviewing lately. Fun coincidence, that.) He has even achieved an extra step by getting an official passport! The bear himself hasn't changed much; eternally sweet and without an ounce of malice in him, Paddington keeps landing into shenanigans solely due to his own clumsiness.
The Browns around him, however, have changed quite a bit. Not so much Mr. Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville), who still works in risk assessment and insurance. However, his daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) is preparing her transition to a university, with Mrs. Mary Brown (Emily Mortimer, replacing Sally Hawkins) distraught that one of her kids is leaving the nest. For her son Jonathan Brown (Samuel Joslin), it's the complete opposite issue; he's learned well from educative toys and became somewhat of an inventor, but only uses his creations to "chill" in his room and leave it as little as possible. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters) tends to the house.
Paddington receives a letter from Peru; but not from his aunt Lucy. It's from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) at the head of the home for retired bears, telling him that his aunt has gone missing in the rainforest. Worried for his aunt, Paddington and the whole Brown family takes the trip to Peru to look for her. This quest includes, among other things, hiring boat captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous) to take them to the location indicated by the clue found in aunt Lucy's room. Said clue tells them to go to Rumi Rock, an ancient area that local legends claim is the entrance to the hidden golden city of El Dorado...
The review
Lovely movie, but that's par for the course for the Paddington series. These movies have an innate charm that just won't go away, as long as the spirit of the character and his series (which, admittedly, I have never read) are respected. Perhaps my favorite element of what I've seen of the movies is how much they love to play with the medium of film, adding a whimsical flair at any chance they get. As an example, in the first two films, Paddington's shenanigans are frequently accompanied by a band of street musicians who just happen to be there every time. Paddington 2 has an entire imagination sequence set within the pages of a pop-up book, and this one has two short moments using a wavy painting animation style.
This film is no exception, with one memorable moment being the nuns of the home retirement for bears singing about Paddington's upcoming visit. There's also a few moments of excellent visual trickery, making a certain character appear and disappear depending on a camera angle in one specific scene (which I will not spoil). Yep, these films are fun AND are having fun with themselves.
Now, the switch from slice-of-life Londonian adventures to a research mission/adventure in Peru means that a small part of the whimsy was lost, though there is an attempt at sprinkling it throughout the quest. The stakes are much higher this time around.
The new characters are fun; Colman is blatantly overacting as the Reverend Mother, and for a good part of the film you can't tell whether it's the storybook tone that commands it or a hint that she may not be all she claims to be. Banderas is great, playing not just Captain Cabot but also most of his ancestors through history in hilarious scenes of the past. He, too, has a hidden agenda which may impact the way he helps the Brown family. The film has just come out, so I won't spoil much, but some very interesting twists are done to keep you guessing all the way to the end.
Most importantly, Paddington in Peru felt like a shelter from the storm during tough times. For a hundred minutes, I wasn't thinking about everything that's going on right now. That movie was exactly what I needed right now. Sure as Hell works a lot better than that new Captain America movie, that's for sure. Beats me why, but I really am not in the mood for that one.
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