The Paddington films are stuffed with whimsical pleasure due to the well mannered and great bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) at their heart — and in addition due to the completely over-the-top villains who scheme in opposition to him. Sure, audiences went gaga for Hugh Grant as pompous fading actor Phoenix Buchanan in 2017’s Paddington 2, however Nicole Kidman as a cutthroat taxidermist within the authentic 2014 Paddington film is simply as bombastically evil. And the third installment of the Paddington film universe, Paddington in Peru, provides one other campy villain to the canon — with a enjoyable twist. [Ed. note: This post contains some setup spoilers for Paddington in Peru.] (L-R) Samuel Joslin, Madeleine Harris, Paddington, Emily Mortimer, Hugh Bonneville, and Julie Walters in PADDINGTON IN PERU. Picture: Sony PicturesHelmed by Dougal Wilson, taking up from Paul King, who directed the primary two installments, Paddington in Peru picks up a few years after Paddington 2. Within the years since, there’ve been many adjustments for the candy bear’s adoptive household, the Browns. These embrace an actor swap for household mom Mary Brown, from Sally Hawkins to Emily Mortimer, and a give attention to the youngsters rising older, and their mother and father grappling with them making ready to go away the nest. However when Paddington will get a whiff that one thing may be up along with his beloved Aunt Lucy (a bear voiced by Imelda Staunton), the Brown household decides to take a household trip to Peru. First, they simply imply to cheer up Aunt Lucy. However once they arrive on the Dwelling for Retired Bears, the place she lives, they study she’s gone lacking. Whereas there, they encounter the suspiciously cheerful Reverend Mom (The Favorite Oscar-winner and Depraved Little Letters co-star Olivia Colman), who runs the house, and the broodingly good-looking Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), who captains the river boat that the Browns rent to discover the Amazon as they got down to discover Lucy. In true Paddington film trend, each these comically exaggerated personalities spark suspicions and counsel villainy. Nonetheless, what makes Paddington in Peru significantly enjoyable is that there are causes to doubt each of them, and surprise which one is de facto the villain. Certain, Hunter is speaking to ghosts in his head about his insatiable want for gold, and the way he’ll cease at nothing to make his conquistador ancestors proud. However what the heck is up with the Reverend Mom and her mysterious secret room? Picture: Sony PicturesPaddington in Peru smashes an archaeological journey right into a household escapade, as a result of apparently, Paddington has a clue that’s important to discovering the misplaced metropolis of El Dorado. Certain! Stranger issues have occurred within the Paddington world, to be completely trustworthy. And a correct Paddington tackle a well-trodden style is as delicious as a marmalade sandwich. It’s additionally amusing to see the Brown household out of their consolation zone in London — a number of the film’s greatest jokes come from the juxtaposition of their sedentary metropolis residing with the calamity that comes with a jungle journey gone unsuitable. Nonetheless, the dueling maybe-villains present essentially the most gags. Banderas and Colman each have superb comedic timing, and know methods to absolutely promote their characters’ exaggerated display personalities. Colman specifically does a smashing job of retaining the identical unnerving smile plastered on her face the complete time. For example, she gently tells the Browns’ housekeeper Mrs. Chook (Julie Walters) that she does the truth is have a secret room behind a pipe organ, however no, she can not presumably inform Mrs. Chook what’s behind it — as a result of it’s a secret. All whereas smiling with out a break.Oliva Coleman Picture: Sony PicturesSince there are few characters exterior Reverend Mom, Hunter Cabot, and the Brown household, there’s not as a lot room for the signature Paddington sweetness, whereby the lovely bear can soften the guts of even the hardest thug in jail along with his large brown eyes and unflappably well mannered manners. However what Paddington in Peru lacks in that division, it makes up for with humor, with a number of the funniest moments within the franchise. In contrast to the earlier Paddington films, the place it’s fairly clear from the get-go who the Massive Dangerous is (even when Paddington and his household don’t notice it till lengthy after the viewers), Wilson doesn’t reveal the true villain till the film’s remaining act. That isn’t merely a lazy gotcha plot twist, or a transfer meant to obscure anybody’s true motives; it simply means we get two hilarious antagonists for the worth of 1, going backwards and forwards on who’s extra villain-y. Their grandiose performances, coupled with the overall fish-out-of-water hijinks of the buttoned-up Brown household exploring the jungle, and the sheer hilarity of a setting the place “Dwelling for Retired Bears” is an actual factor nobody questions, packs Paddington in Peru stuffed with giggles. Whereas it doesn’t hit as emotionally exhausting as the opposite films, it’s nonetheless a beary good time with its cackling, cartoony villains. Paddington in Peru is out in theaters on Feb. 14.