Critics Offer Mixed Reviews for Latest Paddington Movie, Citing Charm and Pacing Issues

The recently released film, Paddington in Peru, received varied feedback during its initial weekend, with reviewers describing it as “charming-enough” but several concurring that it falls short of the quality of previous installments. This third movie in the live-action Paddington adventure series depicts the bear, known for his love of marmalade sandwiches, traveling back to Peru to see his aunt Lucy. The production, featuring the return of popular cast members like Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, and Hugh Bonneville, premiered in UK cinemas on Friday 8 November. Since its inception in 2014, the film series has seen Paddington Bear achieve the status of a national treasure, captivating audiences across all age groups with its endearing charm. Regarding the newest film, Peter Bradshaw commented in the Guardian that the viewing experience was “just as jolly as the previous two films, but not really as funny” and compared it to a “special episode of a TV sitcom that takes the cast to the Costa del Sol”. Leslie Felperin, writing for the Hollywood Reporter, stated that although the movie “lacks the absurdist wit and decidedly dark edge that elevated the first two Paddington movies”, it proved to be “serviceable enough given its limitations”. Nick Curtis offered a harsher assessment in his two-star review for the Standard, asserting that Paddington in Peru “misses the easy charm, the fluency and the icy sliver of jeopardy” found in the initial two films, “which had genuine cross-generational appeal”. He also noted that the tempo seemed “ponderous and slow”. Tim Robey of The Telegraph was among numerous critics who awarded Paddington in Peru a three-star rating, commending the inclusion of new roles played by prominent Hollywood actors Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas, referring to them as “assets” to the movie, though acknowledging they did not quite equal the prior “scene-stealing” performances by Hugh Grant. Nick de Semlyen echoed this sentiment, stating in Empire: “Colman is perfect casting as sinister sister Reverend Mother, overseer of the Home For Retired Bears. “Whether riffing on The Sound Of Music, strumming irritatingly on a guitar, or struggling to keep a phony smile plastered across her face, Colman is great fun, though a little underused. Antonio Banderas, meanwhile, goes full Kind Hearts And Coronets, playing not just a boat captain with a secret, but his many descendants.” In an interview with BBC Radio 1, Whishaw, the voice actor for Paddington in all three films, commented: “I think they are beautiful films made with such care and love. “A good film is a good film and they are hard to make, so I feel very proud of them and very proud to be associated in this way with this character.” Paul King, who directed the initial two Paddington movies, has since pursued other endeavors, such as Wonka, featuring Timothee Chalamet; however, he shares a writing credit for this most recent narrative with Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton. Clarisse Loughrey awarded the movie three stars in the Independent, labeling Paddington in Peru “the worst in the franchise” yet commending the production design, which effectively utilized the change of setting from London’s familiar comforts, making “every interior look like an untouched escape room with secrets hidden under every trinket”. Leila Latif from Total Film granted Paddington in Peru four stars, stating that “despite the title, the film feels distinctly un-Peruvian”. She further remarked: “There are no Peruvian characters (unless you count the bears) and while the film alludes to the previous horrors of plundering Spanish colonizers in a surprisingly brutal montage, it’s still an uneasy shift that there is more screen presence from people of colour in London than there is in South America.” Beyond cinematic releases, a new Paddington musical is currently in development for theatrical presentation, with McFly’s Tom Fletcher slated to compose the music and lyrics. On November 7, the ensemble of the forthcoming movie revealed a distinctive design on a Great Western Railway (GWR) train, which is scheduled to traverse Devon and Cornwall. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.