Star Rating 

 

A small bear finds himself in big trouble.

 

Paddington was brought to our screens in 2014 and it brought our story book bear by Michael Bond, right to our lives and screens.

It was a true mixture of fun and family entertainment that captured the minds of viewers. While being a fun – loving talking bear on our screens, it suggested a very important statement of the importance of being kind to others who may seem foreign or different.

It consistently conveyed this message while being that soft, plunky, spirited bear that young views love.

Three years later, Paddington hit our screens once again. It takes elements of the original and steps up the expectations of viewers by enhancing the character of Paddington, into a sweet but smart bear, while upholding the close family and friendship groups from the first film as he goes into this new adventure.

We rejoin Paddington, (voiced by Ben Whishaw),  comfortably settled in his home with the Brown family. Mary (Sally Hawkins), Henry (Hugh Bonneville) their daughter, Judy, (Madeleine Harris) son, Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) and their long-time housekeeper, Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters).

Paddington is now an active and vital member of Windsor Gardens and his community; helping neighbours, running errands and making his neighbours’ lives easier and brighter.

The adventure starts when Paddington’s aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Ataunton) is going to celebrate her 100^thbirthday, back in Peru and Paddington wants to give her the perfect gift.

Frantically searching, Paddington comes across a vintage pop-up book of London in the antique shop. Paddington’s old friend and the owner of the antique shop, Mr. Gruber (Jim Broadbent) encourages Paddington and expresses that he thinks it is perfect gift for his Aunt Lucy who has always wanted to come to London.

To raise the money to buy this unique and priceless book, Paddington works a series of jobs. Director, Paul King and script writer, Simon Farnaby invents new and exciting scenarios for Paddington and we as audience members watch Paddington’s comedic attempts at these new jobs. Paddington’s antics become wildly desperate as he consumes these countless jobs.

When times get challenging, Paddington is able to remind himself of the bigger picture and imagine himself within the pages of the pop-up book, wondering in there with his Aunt Lucy and we as audiences can also be transported there with Paddington, both visually and emotionally as Paddington remembers her love for London.

Little does Paddington know, he is not the only one with his eye on this priceless pop-up book of London.

A washed-up actor turned dog-food pitchman with the dashing name of Phoenix Buchanan, (Hugh Grant) wants the pop-up book to explore its hidden secrets for his own nefarious purposes.

Phoenix Buchanan wallows flamboyantly in this character’s delusional theatricality in order to seize this book with unfortunate consequences for our hero.

The world of Paddington 2 truly captures the minds of audiences including mine and shows London in a colourful depiction, one for the whole family to enjoy, in a prequel fraught with adventure and danger.