A marmalade-tinted light amidst the darkness.

God, do we need Paddington right about now. After a week of relentless, soul-crushing darkness, having a new Paddington released feels like a tiny, but not insignificant, glimmer of hope we can all huddle around for a little warmth.

The character of Paddington has, after all, come to represent the best of us, and his two films so far have been a true beacon of hope, acceptance, and empathy in a world sorely devoid of it. Quite frankly, with the gloom that has just descended upon us, another dose of Paddington’s relentless positivity is very much welcome.

But as the third Paddington instalment takes the clumsy, marmalade-loving bear out of his London comfort zone and back to his homeland of Peru, can it still offer the kind of joyful escapism we so desperately need right now?

When Paddington (Ben Whishaw) journeys back to his homeland to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), he and the Brown family are soon whisked off on an epic adventure through the Amazon rainforest. Together they encounter fascinating characters and unexpected challenges, as Paddington gradually unearths startling new information about his past.

It will come as a surprise to no one that Paddington in Peru is an absolute delight. It’s also most definitely the film we all need in our lives right now.

Sure, it doesn’t quite hit the sweet spot both of its predecessors did, but it’s not far off at all. In truth, the first two films were both such wonderfully crafted works of unfiltered joy that it was always going to be a tough task matching them, so the very fact that Paddington in Peru gets as close as it does must be celebrated.

Setting is such a huge part of Paddington as a film and Paddington as a character that something was always likely to go missing when you take Britain and London out of the equation. It’s an issue that’s haunted plenty of sequels and it’s one that strikes again here, so while there’s a lot of fun to be had with Paddington’s adventures in South America, much of what made the first two films tick feels largely absent.

With a generous helping of Indiana Jones and a liberal sprinkling of Fitzcarraldo, Paddington in Peru leans in heavily on its adventure setup, and while there’s plenty of fun to be had with it, as Paddington swings and swims his way through the Amazon, it can often feel a little lightweight. The film’s setup is big and broad and decidedly action-heavy, but while these shenanigans are infinitely entertaining, the inherent enjoyment of Paddington’s usually quite quaint, small-scale world has gone missing somewhere along the way.

Despite this, for its part, the action is pretty damn impressive and comes with a level of thought and well-hewn humour that’s rare to see in modern family-friendly blockbuster fare. Blending practical settings and top-notch visual effects, the Amazonian adventures of Paddington and the Browns are a constant delight and never less than entertaining throughout.

The temptation to plonk everything in front of a green screen – as is so often the case these days – must have been incredibly difficult to resist, so huge praise must go to the studio and the film’s director, Dougal Wilson, for sticking to their guns and getting so much of Paddington in Peru shot on location. While CGI is most definitely used throughout, it’s often done sparingly; an approach that infuses the film with a tangibility and an authenticity that would otherwise be absent.

Taking over from the man who helped put Paddington on the cinematic map, Dougal Wilson steps into a big pair of Paul King-sized shoes, however, if there were ever any pressure on him to live up to the sky-high standards of what went before, there’s little sign of it here. It was always going to be a tall task to match the quality of the first two films, however, despite not quite hitting those heady heights, Wilson gets things surprisingly close. The man clearly understands the assignment, and despite having no previous feature directorial experience, Wilson’s keen eye for engaging action, his sense of humour, and his clear affinity with Paddington as a character shine through.

Bolstered by Erik Wilson’s beautiful cinematography, Paddington in Peru may lag behind its predecessors in many ways, yet it can undoubtedly claim to be the franchise’s best-looking effort to date. Obviously, it doesn’t take too much to make Peru and the Amazon look good, but both Dougal and Erik Wilson manage to take things that little bit further with some truly spectacular photography that showcases the natural wonder of its setting beautifully.

Within all this, Paddington in Peru’s cast continues to be a delight, with everyone doing well to make the film feel as homely as possible, despite the change in location and broader scope. Among the old faces, Hugh Bonneville really comes into his own this time round with a pleasingly beefed-up role, while Julie Walters is as effervescent as ever, and Ben Whishaw’s soft, gentle tones continue to cement him as the definitive voice of Paddington Bear.

Despite the comfort of seeing the old guard back, it is, however, the film’s new faces that give Paddington in Peru the true zing it needs to succeed; with Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman really stealing the show.

Continuing where he left off in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Antonio Banderas is back on the water and clearly ready to embrace his latter-career pigeonholing as a grizzled boat captain. And who can blame him? Clearly having a whale of a time with the role, Banderas’ performance is charismatic, lovably roguish, and just the right side of comical, although it doesn’t quite match the mastery of the cast’s other newbie.

While matching Hugh Grant’s super-ham villain from Paddington 2 was always going to be tough, it’s fair to say Olivia Colman comes very, very close. Gloriously chewing every inch of the Amazonian scenery around her, Colman steals the show with a performance of pure joy and comedic excess.

Turning the energy, enthusiasm, and ham up to eleven, Colman’s not-in-any-way-suspicious nun is a whirlwind of songs, gurning, and relentless flippancy that sweeps the entire film up off its feet. Like Banderas, Colman is clearly having a blast with the role, and while many big-name actors may have been tempted to take the Paddington money and dial it in, she does nothing of the sort, as she dives head-first into the role with gleeful abandon.

Colman’s performance is a real shot in the arm for a film that always feels at risk of losing itself as it heads deeper and deeper into the jungle, and one that elevates everyone and everything around her in the process. While the film itself may not touch the sky-high quality of its predecessors, Colman’s performance is certainly up there with the franchise’s finest and will leave you with a huge smile on your face. And if that’s not the most Paddington thing you could wish for, I don’t know what is.

As expected, Paddington in Peru is an absolute delight and undoubtedly the film we all need right now. While it doesn’t quite hit the sweet spot of the first two Paddingtons, it’s certainly not far off. The action-adventure plot is fun if a little lightweight and the relocation from London causes some issues, however, everything is so infectiously joyful and positive and charming, it’s impossible not to get swept up by it. And in dark times like these, what more could you ask for?

Paddington in Peru is out in UK cinemas now and in US cinemas 17th January 2025.