Star Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Antonio Banderas
Director: Dougal Wilson
Paddington In Peru Movie Review Synopsis:
PADDINGTON IN PERU is the story of a bear trying to locate his lost aunt. Paddington (Ben Whishaw) is happily staying with the Brown family in London. However, he notices that everyone in the family has gotten distant, leading to a breakdown in communication. One day, he receives a letter from Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) from Home for Retired Bears, Peru informing Paddington that his aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) is acting strangely. Hence, Reverend Mother requests Paddington to visit her. Paddington decides to take the trip and he’s joined by the Brown family, hoping that it’ll get the family back like the good old days. As soon as they reach Home for Retired Bears, they are informed that Aunt Lucy has suddenly gone missing. Paddington finds a map in Aunt Lucy’s room, which indicates that he should start his search at a place in the nearby Amazon Forest called Rumy Rock. Paddington and his family go to the nearby town where they meet Captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina. (Carla Tous). Both run a boat for tourists. At first, they decline the request to go to Rumy Rock but agree when Paddington informs them about her aunt’s disappearance. Through Cabot, they also learn that Rumy Rock is the starting point for many travellers while trying to discover the lost golden city of El Dorado. Paddington is confused as Aunt Lucy is not someone who’ll run away to find gold. Meanwhile, Cabot has a hidden agenda to accompany Paddington on this trip. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Paddington In Peru Movie Story Review:
Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton’s story is in the same zone as the previous two films. Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont’s screenplay is weak in the middle but manages to engage viewers in the second half. The dialogues are appropriate.
Dougal Wilson’s direction is simple. He tries his best to up the laughter and the emotional quotient of the film and succeeds to an extent. A few comic scenes emerge unexpectedly. For instance, when Paddington is told about El Dorado, he assumes that the Captain is speaking about the namesake eatery in London. The twist in the tale in the second half also keeps the interest going. The finale is emotional.
On the flipside, the writing suffers once Paddington and his family begin the expedition in the river. The way they get lost in the forest and the way they blindly trust Paddington to know the way is very unconvincing. The interest levels come up only when Paddington and the Captain reach the Incan fort. Secondly, some of the family members are there just for the heck of it. Lastly, the film has shockingly got a very delayed release in India. In certain regions, the film is already out on PVOD and it’s astonishing why such a raw deal was meted out to an important market like ours.
Paddington In Peru Movie Review Performances:
Ben Whishaw, as always, is perfect as the voice of Paddington. The same goes for Imelda Staunton. Hugh Bonneville (Henry Brown) is entertaining. Emily Mortimer (Mary Brown) is lovely though one can’t help but miss Sally Hawkins, who played the same character in the first two parts. Olivia Colman is aptly cast and her wicked smile takes the cake. Antonio Banderas, as expected, is quite entertaining. Carla Tous lends able support. Madeleine Harris (Judy Brown) and Samuel Joslin (Jonathan Brown) are wasted while Julie Walters (Mrs Bird) is lovely. Jim Broadbent (Samuel Gruber) is added just for the heck of it.
Paddington In Peru movie music and other technical aspects:
Dario Marianelli’s music adds to the impact. Erik Wilson’s cinematography is spectacular and the locales of Peru are very well captured. The VFX is top-class, especially the lead character. Andy Kelly’s production design and Charlotte Walter’s costumes are satisfactory. Úna Ní Dhonghaíle’s editing is slick.
Paddington In Peru Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, PADDINGTON IN PERU has its share of cute and emotional moments. However, the extremely delayed release in India, limited buzz and competition from new and holdover releases will affect its prospects.