The world’s politest bear is back on screen, this time in his birthplace, Darkest Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy. Directed by Douglas Wilson, Paddington in Peru is the third and latest installment in the Paddington film series, and the first not to be directed by Paul King, though King is creatively involved in the screenplay alongside long-time collaborator Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton.

Set a few years after Paddington 2, Paddington (Ben Whishaw) receives a letter from the Home for Retired Bears in Peru, which the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) informs Paddington that Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) has become increasingly obsessed with maps, deeply misses Paddington, and is acting strangely. As the children of the Brown family have grown up, and Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer) feels the family has been spending less time together, they decide to accompany Paddington to Peru to visit Aunt Lucy.

Upon arriving, however, Paddington discovers that Aunt Lucy has gone missing, leaving behind only a map on which the mysterious Rumi Rock is conspicuously marked with an ‘X’ and the phrase ‘Start search here’. Determined to search for his beloved aunt and uncover her motives, Paddington enlists the help of the Brown family to journey into the Amazon. Along the way, they meet a handsome yet suspicious boat captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous), who seem to be eyeing Paddington’s bracelet – an artifact Aunt Lucy left behind.

I love both Paddington films, particularly Paddington 2 which I think is spectacularly hilarious and brilliant. Inevitably, I went into this with high expectations. There are certainly a few red flags in the period leading up to the release of the film, including the change in casting for Mrs Brown (Emily Mortimer replacing Sally Hawkins), change in director, and the fact that Paddington is being taken away from London and back to his roots, which means giving up the pivotal juxtaposition of a jungle creature in civilised society. After watching the film, it’s safe to say that my expectations were met, the red flags turned out to be red herrings, and the trilogy is one of the best in film history.

Paddington in Peru keeps up the good-naturedness of its predecessors and amps up the adventure and adrenaline. While it is not as humorous or laugh-out-loud funny as the previous films, it retains the spirit of a Paddington film, which is key to keeping the trilogy intact. What’s most surprising to me is the prevalence of the theme of cultural identity and the story of a migrant in this film. While the themes have been present in the franchise since the beginning, this is a film that actually revolves around them, and I admire it for that. That being said, the film is self-referential, occasionally coming close to being smug about its own heritage, and I did feel at times that the references or homages reminded me that Paddington in Peru, while good, is not Paddington 2.

Ben Whishaw is pitch-perfect as always as the voice of Paddington, and Hugh Bonneville as Mr Brown is another constant high for me throughout the films. What’s lacking in this film, however, is a central villainous performance that steals the show like Nicole Kidman or Hugh Grant did. Antonio Banderas comes close but never quite hits the mark for me. Olivia Colman, however, is delightful to watch as the Reverend Mother, who at every turn makes you question whether she is as ‘suspicious’ as she claims or actually on our side.

All in all, Paddington in Peru is a much-welcomed return of the lovely Paddington. While not as sharp or humorous as its predecessors, it never lacks the heart and good-naturedness that are core to the franchise.

Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)