It’s been seven years since the wildly popular “Paddington 2” (2017) was released with a stellar performance by Hugh Grant and cast set in London. Now, we are given Paddington’s delightful back story in the prequel “Paddington in Peru.” As a US citizen with English heritage who has been fortunate enough to visit London over the past 25 years on countless occasions, I was unaware of the city’s love of that adorable furry red-hatted coat-wearing bear with his tag: “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” My eyes are now wide open, as I’ve become aware of his message of acceptance and kindness and the incredible ‘Paddington Bear Fan Club’ with over 90K members, which I joined. That said, I thoroughly appreciated the prequel to the two Paddington Bear movies. Yes, a hard act to follow, yet “Paddington in Peru” stands on its own as a wonderful family film that all will enjoy.
In full disclosure, I was fortunate enough to see the movie in London during the opening on November 14, 2024, at the Cruzon theater. The film starts with a written message informing viewers that the movie takes place a long time ago, in the jungle of Peru, where Paddington was born. With loving parents, we see him happily learning the ways of survival and trust. Although tragically, his parents die in an earthquake when he is a baby, and his Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo care for him. When a falling tree kills Uncle Pastuzo, Aunt Lucy moves into the ‘Home for Retired Bears’ and sends Paddington to London. There, he lives with the Brown family, as shown in the first and second films. Here, we see his life in Peru, which is educational for all.
“Paddington in Peru” surpassed my expectations; it was filmed in a location in Peru (as the ending credits state) and taught children about the area’s terrain, culture, and wildlife. That’s exactly what I wanted to see; as a former teacher of 9- and 10-year-old gifted students, I wrote a 3-week unit of study on the Amazon Rainforest. I know first-hand of the Peruvian Amazon, which is the second-largest expanse of the Amazon, after the Brazilian. It covers nearly 60% of Peru’s landscape and is the life force for everything around it, including 12,810 species, of which the only bear native to the area is the spectacled bear.
In “Paddington in Peru, “we get a glimpse of Paddington’s beginnings, voiced by the talented Ben Whishaw. We meet his family and witness his life in the jungle. Aunt Lucy, a character who adds a special touch to the story, is beautifully portrayed. The casting of Olivia Coleman as a cheerful singing nun is a stroke of brilliance, with her performance at times steals the show. Other cast members, including The Browns’ housemaid Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters) and Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer (replacing Sally Hawkins) as Mr. and Mrs. Brown, add depth and compassion to the narrative.
Antonio Banderas is new to the series as Captain Hunter Cabot, a swashbuckling sea captain who helps the Brown family search for Paddington’s missing aunt, Lucy. Cabot is a descendant of a long line of treasure hunters who are obsessed with finding the Inca gold in El Dorado. Banderas also plays Cabot’s ancestors, including an Edwardian explorer and a female pilot. I was concerned about Antonio Banderas’s voice, as he’s had trouble with his vocal cords, although he sounded fine in the film, and I’m sure he’s pleased.
The waterfall scenes were also gorgeous, with fantastic cinematography. It’s heartwarming, sentimental, and exciting, and a stand-alone film; comparing it to the others doesn’t prove any points. As for complaints, I prefer the film, didn’t start with so much yelling by adults, which was unnecessary and could be frightening to children. Otherwise, I enjoyed it immensely, so much so that I contacted the original author, Michael Bond’s daughter Karen Jenkel, the now owner and managing director of Paddington and Company Limited, while I was in London. We chatted by text, and I have interviewed her on behalf of the new Paddington film. Check back during ‘Women Writers Week’ in March posted to Roger Ebert .com.
Douglas Wilson served as director of the film, with producer Rosie Alison and a team of executive producers, including Anna Marsh, Ron Halpern, Dan MacRae, Paul King, Jeffrey Clifford, Rob Silva, and Tim Wellspring. The screenplay is by Mark Burton and Jon Foster & James Lamont, from a story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Mark Burton. The character “Paddington Bear” was created by Michael Bond.
Columbia Pictures and Stage 6 Films present a Studiocanal presentation of a Marmalade Pictures Production, Paddington, in Peru.
Sarah Knight Adamson© January 22, 2025
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