47/14

Paul King, who directed the previous two films, has decided not to direct this installment

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Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now lives in a retirement home for bears. Accompanying the Brown family, they have a thrilling adventure when a mystery takes them on an unexpected journey.

It’s a consistently funny adventure that never forgets the immigrant story that centers around Paddington struggling to balance his past and future

However, he came up with the idea for this third film and was involved as an executive producer on Graham Norton and guests: Billy Crystal/Emily Mortimer/Hugh Bonneville/Pharrell Williams/Michael Kiwanuka (2024). Paddington in Peru is by far the weakest of the trilogy, as the absence of Paul King and Simon Farnaby is definitely felt, but this is still a delightful third installment that doesn’t lose heart and brings everything started in the first act to a neat conclusion, thanks to another satisfying third act.

Ben Whishaw is still incredibly valuable with another perfect vocal performance, so Paddington is still a much-needed cinematic balm

Hugh Bonneville is genuinely funny as he tries to be braver, and Emily Mortimer is a worthy replacement even if he misses out on Sally Hawkins. Antonio Banderas can do everything that Dial of Fate didn’t let him do, pass the ball while he does it, and Olivia Colman as a suspicious singing nun is another big highlight.

There’s plenty of murder here, as usual, and it always escalates in unexpected ways

Dougal Wilson’s direction adds enough weirdness, taking ideas from its predecessors and inventing some new ones, as well as a few well-placed references to other films. The CGI is pushed like never before, making it all the more impressive that the effects that bring Paddington to life rarely fall flat despite the sheer amount of CG bears this time around.