Paddington in Peru is a heartwarming story that I enjoyed watching. When I first arrived at the movie theater, I expected Paddington in Peru to be a very elementary movie with a solitary storyline, as the franchise is targeted towards kids. And, I was not surprised when I could guess the storyline fairly easily. Yet, I enjoyed the movie, and it was fun to watch as a refreshing break where you can relax and not struggle to understand the storyline. “I thought it was cute and enjoyable. It was nostalgic, and I loved the Peruvian scenery,” said journalism teacher Ms. Everett.
Paddington in Peru is the third movie of a long-running franchise dating back to 1956. Paddington originated as a children’s book character and later became a beloved franchise , appearing in ads for his favorite food, marmalade, and later having 3 movies made about the adventures he goes on. Paddington is the titular character and a cute, tiny little bear. After years of growing up with his adopted aunt, Aunt Lucy, she sends him off to live in London, where a loving family takes Paddington in: Mary Brown (foster mother), Henry Brown (foster father), Judy Brown (older sister), Jonathan Brown (older brother), and lastly, Mrs. Bird (housekeeper.
Since then, Paddington has had many wild adventures. The first movie involves Paddington moving to London and the Brown family welcoming the tiny bear into their family as he learns how to function in a city away from his Aunt Lucy. In the second movie, Paddington is a well-liked member of his community, but one day, he sees a man shoplifting a book while shopping for things to send to Aunt Lucy for her 100th birthday. Paddington ends up being framed for stealing the book and is put in prison. As a result, Paddington goes on a wild adventure to get the book back and escape jail.
Now, in movie 3, Paddington gets a letter from Aunt Lucy’s caretaker at the Home for Retired Bears, saying that Aunt Lucy hasn’t been herself recently. Paddington immediately knew what he needed to do… he needed to go to Peru! So, he packed himself and his family and journeyed to Peru for his Aunt. As the story continues, more and more twists play out, creating, at the very least, an eventful movie.
The ending of the movie was very heartfelt and had a powerful message about how love goes beyond the bond of blood. “I think the main message for me is that family doesn’t necessarily mean by blood, family can be your chosen family and that can be just as important, if not more important, than any relatives by blood,” said Everett.
This movie was entertaining for little kids, but it didn’t make much of an impression on me. While certain parts of the movie were really enjoyable, I found the film to be very juvenile in general. The big twist at the end was very obvious, and I never found myself guessing or waiting in suspense. Overall, I think this movie is a great option for kids, and it could even be a good palate cleanser for a teen or adult looking to watch something fun.
