Paddington 2 Review
If you had told me a month ago that I would be seeing Paddington 2 in theaters, I wouldn't have believed you. I hadn't seen the first one, and I really didn't have any interest. Last week, I found out that I was going to be working the premiere for Paddington 2. I figured, on the off chance that I might be placed inside the theater and forced to watch the movie, I wanted to know what was going on, so I sat down and watched the first. Of course, I didn't get to see Paddington 2 at the premiere, but I liked the first one a lot, and upon hearing that the sequel has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, I figured I should check it out. Was going through all this craziness worth it? Let's find out...
Paddington 2 picks up not long after the first film, with Paddington (Ben Whishaw aka Q from Skyfall and Spectre) having settled in to living in London and becoming an integral part of the community. With his Aunt Lucy's (Imelda Staunton) 100th birthday approaching, Paddington decides to get a job to make some money to buy her a really nice present, a one-of-a-kind pop-up book of London. Unfortunately, Paddington's neighbor, washed-up actor, Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), finds out about the book and steals it, framing Paddington for the crime. The lovable bear gets sent to prison, where he has to find a way to survive, while his family tries to find the real thief and clear Paddington's name.
What works:
Basically everything works in Paddington 2. Our heroic bear is just as lovable as ever. Ben Whishaw is perfect in the role and watching Paddington manage to make friends with everyone he comes across, including some really nasty prisoners, is great to watch. But Whishaw isn't the only great performer in the film. Everyone is fantastic, even the bit parts. The entire Brown family is fun, and Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter's Mad Eye Moody) is terrific as a mean and nasty prison chef.
The biggest stand-out is Hugh Grant's scenery-chewing villain. This washed-up actor is constantly switching character personas. A lesser actor in the role could have quickly become tiresome, but Grant elevates the role and he's a very memorable villain.
The 3rd act is incredible. It draws some inspiration from the James Bond series to gives us a thrilling conclusion. But the whole film is great. The script is tightly written, and everything pays off, sometimes in very unexpected ways.
But Paddington 2 isn't just silly fun. It's hits you right in the feels, almost to the levels of Toy Story 3. The films carries some emotional weight, especially towards the end. I WASN'T CRYING! YOU'RE CRYING!
What sucks:
Nothing really sucks in Paddington 2. I just have two tiny nitpicks. There were a few points where the film straddles the line of becoming too silly. It doesn't quite cross it, but it definitely sticks a toe over the line.
Secondly, there is a minor subplot involving Judge Gerald Biggleswade (Tom Conti) that doesn't quite have the satisfying payoff I was hoping for. But, again, these are just minor nitpicks.
Verdict:
Does Paddington 2 have it going on? Yes. Absolutely. I've already seen five movies this year and, so far, Paddington stands as the best of them. It's adorable, silly fun, but it hits some real emotions and really makes you feel something. The performances, writing, directing, everything is great. I'd even go so far to say that Paddington 2 is superior to the original, which I also greatly enjoyed. Even if these movies don't seem like your jar of marmalade, I highly recommend checking them out.
9/10: Great, See It In Theaters
Paddington 2 picks up not long after the first film, with Paddington (Ben Whishaw aka Q from Skyfall and Spectre) having settled in to living in London and becoming an integral part of the community. With his Aunt Lucy's (Imelda Staunton) 100th birthday approaching, Paddington decides to get a job to make some money to buy her a really nice present, a one-of-a-kind pop-up book of London. Unfortunately, Paddington's neighbor, washed-up actor, Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), finds out about the book and steals it, framing Paddington for the crime. The lovable bear gets sent to prison, where he has to find a way to survive, while his family tries to find the real thief and clear Paddington's name.
What works:
Basically everything works in Paddington 2. Our heroic bear is just as lovable as ever. Ben Whishaw is perfect in the role and watching Paddington manage to make friends with everyone he comes across, including some really nasty prisoners, is great to watch. But Whishaw isn't the only great performer in the film. Everyone is fantastic, even the bit parts. The entire Brown family is fun, and Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter's Mad Eye Moody) is terrific as a mean and nasty prison chef.
The biggest stand-out is Hugh Grant's scenery-chewing villain. This washed-up actor is constantly switching character personas. A lesser actor in the role could have quickly become tiresome, but Grant elevates the role and he's a very memorable villain.
The 3rd act is incredible. It draws some inspiration from the James Bond series to gives us a thrilling conclusion. But the whole film is great. The script is tightly written, and everything pays off, sometimes in very unexpected ways.
But Paddington 2 isn't just silly fun. It's hits you right in the feels, almost to the levels of Toy Story 3. The films carries some emotional weight, especially towards the end. I WASN'T CRYING! YOU'RE CRYING!
What sucks:
Nothing really sucks in Paddington 2. I just have two tiny nitpicks. There were a few points where the film straddles the line of becoming too silly. It doesn't quite cross it, but it definitely sticks a toe over the line.
Secondly, there is a minor subplot involving Judge Gerald Biggleswade (Tom Conti) that doesn't quite have the satisfying payoff I was hoping for. But, again, these are just minor nitpicks.
Verdict:
Does Paddington 2 have it going on? Yes. Absolutely. I've already seen five movies this year and, so far, Paddington stands as the best of them. It's adorable, silly fun, but it hits some real emotions and really makes you feel something. The performances, writing, directing, everything is great. I'd even go so far to say that Paddington 2 is superior to the original, which I also greatly enjoyed. Even if these movies don't seem like your jar of marmalade, I highly recommend checking them out.
9/10: Great, See It In Theaters
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