Paddington in Peru: The Streak of Charming Adventures Continues (Blu-ray)

The Film:

Paddington Brown has certainly had some rather intriguing adventures thus far in his big screen outings, first coming all the way to London to find a new family and then having to clear his name after being accused of a crime he didn't commit. However, for his third outing, "Paddington in Peru," he'll face his biggest adventure yet as he returns to the jungles of his homeland on a quest to find a missing relative, while also getting entangled in another's relentless pursuit of gold. The first two films were undeniably delightful, but could a third entry possibly be too much, or will it merely extend the series' incredible streak of charm?

As the film opens, we quickly catch up with the Brown family. Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) continues his work in insurance under a new boss, with Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer) preparing to see their daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) off to college, and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) mostly staying in his room with his engineering inventions. One day, Paddington (Voice of Ben Whishaw) receives a letter from the Home for Retired Bears in Peru in which the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) tells him that his Aunt Lucy (Voice of Imelda Staunton) misses him very much and hasn't been herself lately. The Browns decide to go to Peru to visit her, but upon their arrival, the Reverend Mother informs them that she's gone missing. After Paddington locates a map in his Aunt's room showing where she likely went, The Browns set out on a quest to find her and bring her home.

The first two "Paddington" films did indeed present charming, exciting, and fun adventures for the whole family, complete with a remarkable list of stars that included Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson, Peter Capaldi, and Eileen Atkins, just to name a few from the stellar ensembles. You may not think that someone could take the character of a fictional bear created nearly 70 years ago and deliver such compelling films, but thanks to writer/director Paul King's (and co-writer Simon Farnaby on the second film) skilled use of the beloved character, that's exactly what we got.

For "Paddington in Peru," there may have been a change in the filmmakers (Dougal Wilson directs from a screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont, with King & Farnaby contributing to the story), but it's wonderful to report that the success streak does indeed continue. Here we have Paddington's grandest adventure yet, one that takes him all the way to the jungles of Peru in search of his missing Aunt, but it doesn't stop there. He soon discovers that the riverboat captain he and his family have hired has a disturbing family history of searching for the fabled gold of El Dorado, the key to which just happens to be in the area Aunt Lucy has gone missing.

Once more, we have a few big stars joining the cast, including Emily Mortimer (replacing Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Brown), Oscar winner Olivia Colman as the Reverend Mother from the Home for Retired Bears, and Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas as riverboat captain Hunter Cabot. They end up being marvelous additions for this latest outing, bringing a wonderful sense of playfulness that fits in perfectly with this somewhat silly world of talking bears, and leaving their mark among an already-impressive ensemble.

Overall, if you were a fan of the first two movies, then there's a very good chance that you'll also be charmed by this third entry, which is just as amusing, entertaining, and engaging as what we've gotten before. Once more, it's incredible that any filmmakers have been able to make these films work at all, but the fact that they've worked this well just goes to show how special they've been, leaving us with the hope that we'll be seeing a fourth entry sometime in the near future.

Video/Audio:

"Paddington in Peru" comes to Blu-ray in a 2.39:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of excellent quality. The picture is beautifully bright & vibrant for its entire 106-minute duration, perfectly highlighting its extensive visual effects. Likewise, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is wonderful, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Sony has done a marvelous job in both departments for the film's Blu-ray release.

Special Features:

The Making of Paddington in Peru (14 Minutes)

Set Tour: The Brown's House (3 Minutes)

Set Tour: The Home for Retired Bears (2 Minutes)

"Let's Prepare for Paddington" Sing-Along (3 Minutes)

Beary Fun Activities (12 Minutes)

This is a somewhat mixed bag of extras, featuring some activities for kids and a sing-along, but at least you get a decent behind the scenes look at the making of the film and some very brief set tours, so it balances out.

Conclusion:

"Paddington in Peru" presents another charming, amusing, and exciting adventure for the beloved bear & his family, with more big stars joining the remarkable ensemble for a compelling tale that is sure to delight anyone who was a fan of the first two films or even those who are coming to the series for the first time.

Score: 3.5/5

Available on Blu-ray starting tomorrow.

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