It’s a Pleasure to Bear ‘Paddington in Peru’

“Paddington in Peru” puts a city bear back in the jungle.

Directed by Dougal Wilson, “Paddington in Peru” follows the eponymous and anthropomorphic bear, Paddington Brown, on an adventure to his home jungle in Peru.

Picking up the reins from director Paul King’s two previous “Paddington” films, Wilson’s feature-length debut effortlessly maintains the franchise’s charisma and spectacled spectacles.

Based on the British children’s book series, “Paddington,” “Paddington in Peru” brings the character’s adorably posh sensibilities to the messy frontier of wilderness. The third theatrical outing for the bear, the film balances childish whimsy and Rube Goldberg-esque stunts with emotionally mature themes of growing up and leaving home.

Living in London with his adopted human family, Paddington is called to his Peruvian birthplace to visit his lonely aunt Lucy. However, upon their arrival, Paddington finds Lucy missing, having embarked on a last-minute trek to the lost city of gold — El Dorado.

Ben Whishaw as Paddington continues to charm with affable voicework. Whishaw (“Skyfall,” “The Lobster”) voices the marmalade-loving bear with kind intentions and an even gentler heart. As Paddington journeys through the jungle, he befriends locals and reconnects with his Peruvian past.

Aiding Paddington and the Brown family’s quest is safari guide Hunter Cabot, played by Antonio Banderas. A gold-obsessed sailor from a lineage of conquistadors, Banderas (“The Mask of Zorro,” “Babygirl”) basks in his character’s greedy motivations. 

Cabot’s villainy is comedically amplified by Banderas playing hallucinatory versions of his ancestors. Plotting with his dreamed relatives to find El Dorado, Cabot conflicts with his daughter Gina, who wants him to abandon his obsession and instead learn to value the treasure of family.

Olivia Colman as the enigmatic Reverend Mother is an equally enticing foil. As Lucy’s caretaker, Colman (“The Favorite,” “The Crown”) smiles and sings with glee while withholding information on the elderly bear’s whereabouts.

A nun at the Home for Retired Bears in Peru, the Reverend Mother underlines an air of mystery to the quest. Her suspiciously curt replies delivered with a wide smile convey a hidden plot beneath the search for Lucy and El Dorado.

“Paddington in Peru” is a family adventure film that teeters on whimsy without falling into childishness. Though King (“Wonka,” “The Mighty Boosh”) decided to move on from the franchise, Wilson builds off the prior films’ aesthetic and flourishes in the pastel world.

Colorful blues and greens from the Peruvian waters and hillsides pop alongside floral plantlife and threaded clothing. Even the film’s PG-rated action sequences impress, with fast-paced and perilous circumstances.

Tying together the situational — and aptly British — blunt comedy with the vivid visuals are the plot’s heart-tugging themes of moving forward in life. Paddington’s return to Peru rekindles his love of the wild and uproarious nature as a bear. In leaving his London home, Paddington parallels a child moving to college and finding themself in uncharted territory.

Paddington’s maturity moves in tandem with the Brown family’s growing up. As daughter Judy tours universities and son Jonathan shutters himself away in his room, parents Mary and Henry feel lonely but bittersweetly recognize the importance of independence.

In finding Aunt Lucy and his Peruvian roots, Paddington progresses from his London childhood to become a self-realized, independent bear.

“Paddington in Peru” is a delightfully sweet trilogy-capper for the marmalade-laden series. Despite the directorial shift, the curious British bear has never felt more at home.

“Paddington in Peru” comes to theaters Feb. 14.