Fun on contrived quest to Peru

The much-loved Michael Bond book, ‘A Bear Called Paddington’, first published in 1958, inspires yet another adaptation, a debut helming by music video director Dougal Wilson.

This is the third in a series, the first two directed by Paul King, who took a break as he was busy getting Willy Wonka into the theatres. This sequel is charming enough, has spectacular scenery and a tot-friendly adventure story at the centre it it all.

Antonio Banderas in a sweaty, boisterous, multiple gold-hunter role and Olivia Colman as a singing nun are the highlights here. ‘Paddington in Peru’ may not be as good as its predecessors ‘Paddington’ (2014) and ‘Paddington 2’ (2017), but it has got its own brand of fun.

There’s a surfeit of boisterous energy, cheerful enthusiasm, singing, dancing, crashing adventure and a great deal of fun. Paddington may not be a fun type of guy, but his team and he get into so many soups, it keeps you smiling incessantly. The soft-spoken bear may be a bit literal-minded, but is capable of sudden bursts of odd behaviour that translates into fun.

Paddington receives a curious letter from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), who runs a retirement home for aged bears back in Peru. She suggests that Lucy may be missing Paddington all too keenly. Since he only just got his own British passport, the cub decides to visit his aunt.

Paddington travels to Peru with Mary Brown (Emily Mortimer) and the whole family, including housekeeper Mrs Bird (Julie Walters), but Aunt Lucy has disappeared. The mystery behind her disappearance leads to a thrilling adventure that plunges them into an unexpected journey through the rainforest and up the mountains in Peru.

They hire a boat helmed by a Spaniard, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), afflicted by gold fever, and crewed by his daughter Gina (Carla Tous). The Browns get dragged into the rapids, get lost in the jungle. Paddington solves puzzles to track down Aunt Lucy while the Reverend Mother keeps assuring them that nothing about her suspicious Home for Retired Bears is suspicious.

‘Paddington in Peru’ is more accessible to younger viewers and is well served by heavy doses of physical comedy. An opening sequence featuring Paddington trying to take his passport photo in a booth and a series of inventively conceived accidents make for some levity.

King’s first two editions had visual imagination and a chaotic charm that was easily accessible to children, while being well-liked by adults. Wilson’s film, that is lush, bright and busy, with a contrived quest at the centre, is conventional kids’ entertainment.

It’s a pleasure to see our ursine hero leave the cool environs of a pastel-coloured Windsor Gardens and return to his homeland, the lush, tropical forests of Peru. The backdrop is stunning, the CGI is perfectly done and the voicing by Ben Whishaw is near-perfect. The result may not be cool and cosy, but it’s lively, infinitely appealing and likely to get the little kids in a tizzy.

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