A globe-trotting adventure awaits in "Paddington in Peru" (Columbia), the third film in the series featuring the red hatted and blue duffle-coated talking bear (voice of Ben Whishaw) that kicked off in 2014.
Directed by Dougal Wilson and based, once again, on a series of children's books by Michael Bond, this outing takes our lovable bear and his adopted family, the Browns, away from their London home to "darkest Peru," Paddington's homeland, in search of the ursid's beloved Aunt Lucy (voice of Imelda Staunton).
The trip is prompted by a letter from Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), the nun who runs the home for retired bears where Aunt Lucy lives. She says Aunt Lucy misses her nephew terribly and longs to see him.
So Paddington secures his passport and sets off. He's joined on the journey by all the Browns: dad Henry (Hugh Bonneville), mom Mary (Emily Mortimer, replacing Sally Hawkins), daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris), son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), and eccentric housekeeper, Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters).
Once in South America, the jolly Reverend Mother, after showing off her singing voice and dancing moves, reveals that Aunt Lucy has wandered off into the jungle, destination unknown. Auntie has, however, left behind two clues: a map and a mysterious bracelet.
"Aunt Lucy always says, 'When skies are gray, hope is the way,'" Paddington observes. On that note, their quest begins. "All it takes to light the darkness is a candle of faith," Reverend Mother adds.
A dashing boat captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), agrees to take the troupe down river. But his real motive is greed: he believes Aunt Lucy's bracelet is the key to finding El Dorado, the fabled lost city of gold.
Needless to say, "Paddington in Peru" is awash in silliness and slapstick, the perfect recipe for a family-friendly movie. There are a few mildly scary moments and some surprises (keep an eye on that nun), but nothing too upsetting for even the youngest viewers. A happy ending is as predictable as the marmalade sandwich that perpetually resides under Paddington’s hat.
