Paddington in Peru: The Sweet End to Cinemas Most Wholesome Trilogy?

If you’ve never seen the first two Paddington movies, do yourself a favor and give them a watch. They’re truly some of the most charming and heartwarming films ever made, so naturally, Paddington in Peru was high on my most-anticipated list coming into 2025. It had the chance to cap off one of the greatest cinematic trilogies of all time, and I couldn’t wait to see if it would deliver. I bought a ticket for opening weekend as soon as I got the chance, and when the time finally came for my screening, I was way more excited than you’d ever expect a man in his 30s to be for a movie about an animated bear.

Paddington in Peru was directed by Dougal Wilson, and it stars Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, and the voice of Ben Whishaw. In the film, Paddington and the Browns take a family trip to Peru to visit Paddington’s elderly Aunt Lucy, but when they arrive at her retirement home, they receive terrible news.

Lucy has gone missing, and the nuns who run the place have no idea where she went. All they know is that she seemed to be conducting some intense research before her disappearance, so they surmise that the elderly bear has gone looking for something. Upon hearing all this, Paddington and the Browns decide to head deep into the Amazon to find Lucy, and their journey leads them to an unexpected discovery.

I’m not going to bury the lead. Like the previous Paddington movies, Paddington in Peru stands or falls largely on the strength of its characters, and to the surprise of no one, they’re just as delightful as ever. Let’s start with Paddington himself. The titular bear has always been the standout of this franchise, and he’s lost none of the irresistible charm that made his first two big-screen outings so great.

Actor Ben Whishaw somehow manages to voice this character in the most wholesome way imaginable, so whenever you hear Paddington speak, it’s like taking in a large bowl of chicken soup for the soul. It's sure to melt even the hardest of hearts, and the knee-slapping shenanigans this bear gets himself into will endear him to you even more. He's pretty much a perfect protagonist, so if you ask me, his presence alone is enough to make Paddington in Peru a fun time at the theater.

Thankfully though, this film doesn’t rely solely on its ursine lead. His supporting cast is awesome as well, and I have to mention two characters in particular. First up, we have Henry Brown. He’s the father of the Brown family, and as always, actor Hugh Bonneville is fantastic in the role. He imbues the character with just enough of the typical “stupid dad” trope to be funny, but he never comes across as a genuine idiot. You can clearly tell that he’s a loving, competent father, so he perfectly complements Paddington’s edifying vibe.

In contrast, his wife, Mary, doesn’t provide much comic relief, but she more than makes up for it by being the emotional core of the Brown clan. She embodies Pope Pius XII’s teaching that the woman holds “the chief place in love” in a family (Casti Connubii 27), and actress Emily Mortimer brings her to life brilliantly.

I’m not going to lie, I was actually a bit worried about this character. In the first two Paddington movies, Mary was played by Sally Hawkins, and I wasn’t sure how a new actress would do in the role. But thankfully, that fear ended up being completely unfounded. Mortimer imbues Mary with the same lovable heart and charisma that Hawkins brought the first two times, so if I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t have even noticed the change.

On top of those great characters, Paddington in Peru also features an awesome message about the value of family. I can’t get into specifics without spoiling the film, but suffice it to say that the final act will warm your heart as only a Paddington movie can. Not only does the titular bear find way more than he expected, but some of the other characters also learn an important lesson about what truly matters in life, so this movie is just as edifying as it is entertaining.

All that being said, I have to acknowledge that Paddington in Peru isn’t quite perfect. In fact, if I’m being honest, I think this is probably the weakest film in the franchise. The story just isn’t as good as the other movies, so it doesn’t quite run on all cylinders the way those first two films do. It has a couple of brief lulls here and there, but as I’m sure you can guess, those minor flaws aren’t anywhere near bad enough to ruin the experience.

They’re little more than glorified nitpicks, so at the end of the day, I’m happy to report that Paddington in Peru is a worthy entry in this already storied series. It has all the heart, humor, and charm we’ve come to expect from a Paddington movie, so if you’re a fan of the franchise, I think you’re going to love this latest entry. Even if you’re not already a Paddington aficionado, I suggest giving this film a shot anyway. It’s that good, and you don’t need to see the previous movies to understand what’s going on in this one.