Paddington in Peru

I feel that this review should begin with a disclaimer, it being the third live-action/feature film in a series, based on a successful book series. Paddington Bear has been around for nearly 70 years, and this film, Paddington in Peru, is my first official introduction to the character. Growing up, his books flew under my radar. I never watched any of the various animated series he was involved in from the 1970s and 1980s. By the time the first film, Paddington came around in 2014, there was no real reason for me to watch it. All I knew was that people loved it, but people seemed to love the sequel, Paddington 2, even more.

So, there I sat, quiet and dark in my home theater, a little bit nervous to be starting this film. What would I say? What COULD I say? If I didn’t like it, should I explain how unfamiliar I am with the source material? If I did like it, would I have to, then, go back and watch all the other films? What kind of monster would this create?

The good news is, I did very much enjoy Paddington in Peru. The story is a straightforward adventure tale, and I’m sure in my retelling of events, I’ll be getting some details about the characters’ histories with each other fudged up a little. I apologize in advance. Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) is originally from Peru and was taken in by the Brown family in London, England, where they have had numerous adventures together. Recently, it seems, as the kids have grown up, the family has grown apart. This adventure in Peru is just what the doctor ordered to bring them all together again. Paddington’s aunt has gone missing, looking for clues to the fabled El Dorado (the lost City of Gold) and the plucky, determined (and very polite) bear must find her. While in Peru, they enlist the help of a riverboat captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), who has a familial curse and lust for gold. Cabot will help the bear and his adoptive family to get to the city, with plans to double-cross them and claim the riches for himself.

This is all very pleasant stuff, with gentle humor and some good, genuine laughs. Antonio Banderas isn’t the funniest actor in the world, but he has a fearlessness when it comes to playing it goofy, and goes wildly over-the-top in multiple roles of his ancestors, even playing one of his relatives in drag, replete with a blonde wig. Everyone else in the cast, including Olivia Colman, Emily Mortimer, and Hugh Bonneville is equally up to the task, knowing how to walk that delicate line between sincere and over-the-top.

As I understand it, from fans of the series, Paddington in Peru is not the best film in the series. No matter. And I’m sure most will agree, it’s a decent film on its own, particularly in that dreaded genre of films geared toward children. Children and family films can sometimes scrape the bottom of the barrel and offer no respect for its younger audience, insulting their intelligence at every turn with cheap gags and a plot on autopilot. Paddington in Peru does no such thing and it’s refreshing to see a narrative go beyond a display of light, color and bombastic sound design. Part of my enjoyment, I believe, is in growing up with other British characters who have a very specific love for one food. Wallace and Gromit had cheese. Lionel Hardcastle from As Time Goes By had his custard tarts. And Paddington has marmalade sandwiches.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Paddington in Peru arrives in a single-disc Blu-ray release, housed in a standard case with a code for digital redemption found inside. The disc plays to a series of trailers, but with a convenient menu option to skip straight to the movie instead of skipping forward or having to go to the film’s menu first.

Presented in 1080p high-definition video for this disc’s release, Paddington in Peru looks fantastic. A 4K version also exists in the UK and Europe, but for the purpose of this review, unfortunately, we only have standard Blu-rays here in the States. And, without comparison to anything else, I thought it looked terrific. Paddington in Peru’s color palette is bathed in lots of ambers and gold, appropriate for its “El Dorado” plotting, but with pops of green for the jungle foliage and of course purple for a terrifying tarantula’s legs. Details are razor sharp, and I mean RAZOR SHARP, with such detail on Paddington’s fur, and the fur of the other animals like the bears in the retirement home or alpacas in the wild. Erik Wilson’s cinematography, the fun set design, and the various special effects all get a chance to really shine here.

Paddington in Peru provides viewers with an excellent 5.1 surround mix, encoded in DTS-HD MA, that remains active and immersive throughout. The ambient effects are at a constant level, so my rear speakers were constantly abuzz with insects chirping, waves crashing or musical cues from when the score by Dario Marianelli reaches a dramatic climax. During those scenes aboard the riverboat, my subwoofer rumbled throughout. From beginning to end, everything is mixed with crystal clarity and dialogue favored above the mayhem, with the mayhem getting properly loud without ever being OVERLY loud.

Most of the new discs that I review are sadly scant on the special features front. The more robust supplements come from re-releases from boutique labels. I’m happy to see Paddington in Peru buck that trend and give buyers some nice features to make their way through.

• “Let’s Prepare for Paddington” Sing Along (HD 3:14)
• Beary Fun Activities (HD 11:42)
• Set Tour: The Home for Retired Bears (HD 2:00)
• Set Tour: The Brown’s House (HD 2:38)
• The Making of Paddington in Peru (HD 14:10)
• Trailers

Paddington in Peru is my introduction to Paddington as a whole, my first experience in seeing the character embark on an adventure, and I was charmed by it. The character is utterly likeable, and so is just about everyone else in the cast, even the bad guys. It’s a perfect movie for families, with some good laughs and some good lessons. This disc, from Sony Pictures, looks and sounds amazing, with some great supplements digging into how the film was made. Paddington in Peru is Highly Recommended.