PADDINGTON in Peru is to the previous adventures of one loveable young bear what the fateful Holiday Special is to Star Wars.
The last two Paddington films are flawless from beginning to end, and will surely feature prominently in the pages of festive RTÉ Guide’s for years to come, just as Pat Shortt is likely to appear on every front cover.
This time round, the anthropomorphic bear is back for more escapades with his adopted family, the Browns, as they come down with a bad dose of the travel bug.
After Paddington gets his new passport, they decide to visit his aunt Lucy in Peru, but, as luck would have it, circumstances lead them towards misadventures in the Amazon rainforest and mountains of Peru.
The world’s politest bear has barely touched down in South America’s third largest country when word reaches him that dear aunt Lucy has gone missing and is in need of rescuing from Windsor Gardens’ finest.
Paddington in Peru, much like the sweet and soft-spoken bear at the film’s centre, loses its way early on and comes off like a soulless package holiday that trudges along dismally, counting down the days for the return flight home.
The magic of old is sold for schlockier blockbuster shenanigans, bigger Hollywood stars – including Antonio Banderas, and all the swashbuckling silliness you can shake a small furry bear at.
The warmth, charm, and frivolity of previous outings have now been swapped for a more foreign, cheap, and dare I say it, un-British holiday. It’s all about as much fun as Chewbacca and Han Solo’s unfortunate visit to Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day.
Only Olivia Coleman as all-grinning, and totally unsuspicious, singing and dancing nun, manages to touch on the Paddington splendour as she savours every moment in her dastardly habit. With a gleeful Sound of Music montage one of the film’s few highlights, this is one children’s favourite that has completely missed the boat.
(3/5)
