Paddington in Peru

Prequels:
“Paddington” (2015)
“Paddington 2” (2018)

“Paddington in Peru” is going beyond its bear necessities.

But moviegoers may find the cupboard is a little bare for the third installment in the film series about the titular lovable bear.

Leaving the friendly confines of the London setting of “Paddington” (2015) and “Paddington 2” (2018), the third film in the series finds Paddington the bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) returning to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears that’s operated by nuns.

With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey.

Like its previous predecessors, the movie espouses courage, perseverance the importance of family, especially never giving up on those you love, and warns against the dangers of greed and seeking riches at all cost.

Based on Michael Bond’s cherished kids” books that debuted in 1958, the first two entries in the PG-rated film series has been a charming, family-friendly hit. With its wholesome humor, endearing story and outstanding visual effects resonated with critics and audiences.

“Paddington” grossed $318 million against a $65 million budget, and also earned a 96 percent Tomatometer rating, according to Box Office Mojo.

“Paddington 2” made $283 million with a $40 million budget, and garnered a sterling 99 percent Tomatometer rating.

Despite a 93 percent Tomatometer rating, “Paddington in Peru” is arguably the weakest of the three for a number of possible reasons, as the first two films were brilliant, so this one had a lot to live up to.

For starters, the director of the two previous films, Paul King, decided not to direct this film. However, he pitched the idea for the third movie, and he served as an executive producer.

Also, Emily Mortimer replaced Sally Hawkins in the role of Mrs. Brown, and it is not publicly known why Hawkins did not reprise her role from the previous two films, according to iMDb.

In addition to those reasons, this entry is not as creative as the previous two films, but it’s still a charming and heartwarming family movie.

Directed by Dougal Wilson, the film begins with Paddington, who recently became a British citizen and got his own passport, receiving a letter from the Home for Retired Bears Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), one of the head nuns and whose intentions may not be as noble as they seem.

Paddington learns from the letter that his Aunt Lucy deeply misses him and hopes to see him one day. Paddington feels compelled to travel to Peru to pay her a visit and convinces the Brown family to accompany him.

Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville), who still works as a risk-assessor, has a new boss ((Madison played by Hayley Atwell), forcing him to throw caution to the wind. He sees the invitation as an opportunity to do just that, so his family soon sets off for South America.

But when they arrive in Peru, the Reverend Mother informs Paddington and the Browns that Aunt Lucy has gone missing out in the jungle. The group then set out on a journey to look for her among the thick and dangerous Amazon forest.

In order to do that, they charter a small steamer to go upriver in search of Aunt Lucy, hiring riverboat captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous).

From there, it becomes a jungle adventure movie ala “Jungle Cruise,” where there’s a subplot about hidden treasures and the El Dorado gold.

“It’s called a hard stare, Mr. Hunter, and it’s for when people have forgotten their manners.” Paddington tells the captain with his iconic stare.

Bottom-line: “Paddington in Peru” has its good moments—it’s more sentimental, but also noticeably not as funny than “Paddington” and “Paddington 2.”

Even though it’s not third time is a charm for the movie, it should still satisfy Paddington fans like a marmalade sandwich.

Additionally, a fourth film has been given a green light, and there are plans for a new TV series as well as the stage show musical.

Content watch

“Paddington in Peru” is rated PG for action, mild rude humor and some thematic elements. Even though none of the characters experience serious harm, there are scenes of peril, threat and danger, including people being held at gunpoint, chased, tied up and hit on the head. A boat capsizes and a light airplane crashes, but, just like in the previous movies, they are not intense. A character is deathly afraid of a giant spider. A young bear tumbles from a tree into rough river rapids, but is rescued.

There is scary imagery, including a character haunted by ancestral ghosts. A flashback features comical deaths of historical figures, including a plane crash and one in quicksand. A man is slapped multiple times. A musket is pointed at a group, and a large machete blade is drawn on Paddington. A villain shouts to “kill the bear.”

There’s a recurring gag about a character being handsome. A sleeping character’s face is licked by an anteater, but he says: “Mary, not with the kids around” before waking up.

One character shouts “What in God’s name?” There’s a reference to a “drunken night in Cusco.”

Spiritual elements include the Reverend Mother wearing a cross necklace and carries a rosary. She gives Mrs. Brown a medallion of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travel, for their jungle journey. While holding the necklace, Mrs. Brown later prays for a miracle. There are some praise-filled exclamations, including “Hallelujah!” and “The Lord be praised!” There’s a joke about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from Revelation. The Reverend Mother tells Mrs. Brown that “the Lord works in suspicious ways,” she to tries to correct the nun, stating that the phrase is “mysterious,” not “suspicious.” The Reverend Mother points out that Mrs. Brown knows her Scripture, but the phrase “the Lord works in mysterious ways” is not found in the Bible. A character’s behavior is called “unchristian.” Rumi Rock, a place in the Amazon forest, is called a “sacred” Incan monument.

• Violence: Mild
• Profane language: Mild
• Sex: Mild
• Drugs/Alcohol: Mild
• Occult: Mild
• Vulgar/Crude language: None
• Nudity: None
• Wokeism: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.