Paddington is back for another exciting adventure! Ben Whishaw voices the dependable bear, who winds up in search of his Aunt Lucy after she comes up missing from the Home of Retired Bears. Paddington and his aunt are brought to life with CGI animation, mixed in with live actors to give us an action-packed movie with interesting characters. Paddington, looking ready for any escapade that helps him find his aunt, dresses in his familiar red hat and blue shirt.
In a funny scene near the beginning of the movie, he gets into a photo booth and accidentally releases a lot of coins which results in him getting a lot of photos of himself! This scene is a humorous example of the many events that will occur as he continues the trek to find his aunt.
The film features several scenes which will elicit laughter, such as when Paddington sticks his head out the window of a vehicle and his tongue hangs out, making him look like a dog riding in a car. And kids and adults will both relate to various scenes, such as when a character named Henry Brown looks at a very big tarantula in a book, only to learn that many such tarantulas exist in Peru. This makes him hesitant to travel there.
One of the few clues to what happened to Aunt Lucy is the bracelet she wore, not to mention her cracked glasses which were both left behind. And this is not a good thing as Aunt Lucy has a most difficult time seeing without them. And, as Henry points out, “The Amazon is quite dangerous – large!” This is where a group will have to venture to find Paddington’s missing aunt. However, the Rev. Mother at the local church, points out that “All it takes to lighten the darkness is one candle of faith.”
The suspenseful music in appropriate scenes is nicely scored, and there are various moments of suspense and apprehension. Antonio Banderas adds a humorous character as a captain of a small ship who is hired to take the Brown family to find the missing Aunt Lucy and to support Paddington. And there seems to be more to his character than meets the eye. Especially when a spirit from the past speaks to the captain. We soon find out that, although he loves his daughter Gina, the captain is influenced by his desire to find gold. And the spirit urges him on to realize the dream. But can the spirit be trusted? And will it come down to the captain making a choice between his daughter and the gold?
The mystery thickens as it soon seems that Aunt Lucy was either apprehended or is in search of El Dorado and the mythological gold of the Incas. Will anyone find the treasure? And will Paddington find Aunt Lucy? The film has good and worthwhile themes and comments that will make the viewer think, including this: “Some risks are worth taking. But only for the greater good – and for the people you love.” We are pleased to present our Dove All Ages Seal to this wonderful and remarkable movie.
Content Analysis: The characters are interesting and it’s nice to see a scene in which a man prays. And it’s mentioned that the Lord moves in mysterious ways. A toast is held with soda pop in another scene. And there is a scene involving the confession of a character who has gone astray. Gina makes the sign of the cross in one part of the movie and this is used also in a plane during a close call.
Think About It: Discussion points include going the extra mile for someone you love, and the importance of making good choices for the people you love. Also, the belief in God and the importance of prayer.
The Dove Take: This family-friendly film is an enjoyable watch and full of great discussion topics, which is why it has earned our Dove Seal for All Ages.
