17/21
Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who is now residing at the Retired Bears Home. With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey. The director of the previous two films, Paul King, has decided not to direct this installment. However, he pitched the idea for this third film and was on board as an executive producer. Featured on The Graham Norton Show: Billy Crystal/Emily Mortimer/Hugh Bonneville/Pharrell Williams/Michael Kiwanuka (2024). If, like me, you agree that the first two Paddington films are among the best films ever made, this will be a must-see film that you will enjoy but also a disappointment. Since it is not about how Paddington adjusts to living with a family in London or how a normal family adjusts to living with a bear, it loses its original charm and, arguably, its humor. This is just another jungle adventure film… but with a bear. It has a different feel to it, more sentimental and noticeably less funny. Whereas the first two were hilarious for a decrepit old Marx Brothers fan like me, this is definitely more of a family film clearly aimed at children. I could say we need more of the Brown family and their neighbours… I could also say we need Sally Hawkins, but what’s the point? We had all that in the first two and because they were… dare I say, perfect, there would be no point in trying to copy them. So yes, this one is different, it’s terribly sentimental at times and it’s not as funny, but it’s still Paddington. Routine family fun rather than quirky, hilarious cuteness.