In this tumultuous and troubling 2025, Paddington—the cheery and polite British bear in the red bucket hat and blue duffle coat—is the hero we need. In Paddington in Peru, he continues to be a wonderfully amusing and charming beacon of light.

While nowhere near as brilliant as its prior installment, “Paddington 2,” this third entry in the franchise still has enough charm to recommend it.

His name is Paddington, and for close to seven decades, this tiny London-based bear has delighted discerning young readers with his extreme politeness, his propensity for getting into misadventures and his loyalty to family and friends.

In the 11 years of what we can fairly call “the Paddington era,” the bear, himself, hasn’t changed so much as a toggle on his blue duffle coat.

It has been seven years between installments as Paddington in Peru makes its debut, appearing in an American climate that's much the same as last time, but worse. And while it might be too much to ask for music video veteran/first-time feature director Dougal Wilson to match the previous films' director,

The film also offers a welcome change of scene as Paddington and the Browns, the British family that adopted him, return to the bear's homeland in Peru to find his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), now residing at a Peruvian retirement home for bears.

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