Paddington 2

Paddington 2 is a rare sequel that doesn’t play it safe. Instead, it leans even harder into everything that made the first film special—gentle humor, well-timed slapstick, and a kindness that somehow sidesteps feeling corny. The plot kicks off with our favorite marmalade-loving bear trying to buy the perfect gift for his aunt, and promptly being blamed for a crime he didn’t commit. Cue a series of nutty adventures and, honestly, some of the best physical comedy I’ve seen since early 2000s British kids’ TV.

Right from the start, the tone feels like sweet relief from the noisy chaos of most family films. I never got the sense that its jokes were pandering or forced. It’s cozy, but there’s sharpness to the writing. Hugh Grant’s performance as the peacocking villain, Phoenix Buchanan, is a highlight—he’s hilarious, hamming it up just enough to stay fun instead of annoying. Ben Whishaw remains perfect as Paddington’s voice, full of warmth and earnestness.

Visually, it’s a treat. Cinematographer Erik Wilson makes London look like a dollhouse you want to crawl inside. There are Wes Anderson vibes in the way scenes are composed and colored, but it never feels derivative. The prison sequence, which sounds dark on paper, is oddly delightful and never skips the film's sense of warmth. Honestly, the whole movie looks like someone cared about every frame.

The thing that surprised me the most is how emotionally grounded the story is. Yes, it’s about a talking bear solving a mystery, but there’s real heart underneath. The Browns’ loyalty to Paddington is genuinely moving, and the film never shies away from showing how terribly unfair things can be for someone perceived as “different.” It sounds heavy, but it’s feather-light in its delivery.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the third act pushes the zaniness about two notches further than it needed to. There are a lot of set pieces and near-misses that feel more cartoonish than magical, and while kids will probably love it, I found myself wishing for things to slow back down to the quieter, earlier moments. The stakes don’t need to get bigger because the quieter moments were already hitting home.

Still, Paddington 2 pulls off something rare: making a family film where adults aren’t just tolerating the movie, waiting for it to be over. It’s genuinely charming, clever, and surprisingly touching. By the time the credits rolled, I felt oddly hopeful about the world, which feels like the biggest compliment I can give.