Review: 'Paddington in Peru' isn't hard to bear, but it shows the franchise coasting

As delicious arsenic a marmalade sandwich tin be, excessively galore of them tin beryllium excessively much, particularly erstwhile they aren’t made by idiosyncratic who knows however to dispersed the jam conscionable right. When it comes to marmalade sandwiches — and now, “Paddington” movies — a maxim that my gramps utilized to use to martinis comes to mind: One is not capable and 3 is excessively many.

Two is so the saccharine spot for this trilogy of movies based connected the beloved books by Michael Bond astir a Peruvian British carnivore successful a bluish overcoat and reddish hat. “Paddington 2” (2017) was the precocious constituent of the series, hailed by galore arsenic a masterpiece, and the 3rd film, “Paddington successful Peru,” was ever going to beryllium a spot of a letdown. Director Paul King has been replaced by Dougal Wilson, making his diagnostic movie debut (though King has a surface communicative credit), and archetypal co-star Sally Hawkins has been replaced by Emily Mortimer arsenic Mary, the matriarch of Paddington’s English family, the Browns.

“Paddington successful Peru” remains a charming, heartfelt and beautifully designed film, and the trilogy is inactive a golden modular for children’s entertainment, foregrounding themes of household and fun. This clip around, Paddington Bear reconnects with his roots successful Peru successful an Amazonian escapade that could easy beryllium titled “Paddington: The Wrath of God” oregon “Raiders of the Lost Marmalade Jar,” with its nods to influential films featuring Indiana Jones oregon epic stream quests directed by Werner Herzog.

One of the hallmarks of the trilogy has been the casting of a massively celebrated histrion arsenic the villain (Nicole Kidman successful “Paddington,” Hugh Grant successful “Paddington 2”) and Antonio Banderas takes connected this relation successful “Peru,” with an assistance from Olivia Colman. Paddington (voiced arsenic ever by Ben Whishaw) is summoned to his homeland by an urgent missive from the Reverend Mother (Colman) astatine the Home for Retired Bears wherever his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) resides. Concerned with Aunt Lucy’s well-being, Paddington rushes to Peru with the Browns successful tow, his household seeing the travel arsenic an accidental for immoderate prime time.

Discovering Aunt Lucy has disappeared from her home, Paddington and the Browns employment riverboat skipper Hunter Cabot (Banderas) and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous), to instrumentality them to the deepest portion of the Amazon successful blistery pursuit. Unaware of Hunter’s ulterior motives (he’s successful the thrall of an ancestral obsession with gold), the Browns acceptable disconnected downriver and soon find themselves successful a full batch of blistery water.

“Paddington successful Peru” does everything it’s expected to bash according to the formula. Whimsical accumulation plan by Andy Kelly makes for a distinctive throwback look, Whishaw delivers the aforesaid gentle Paddington persona and an service of British quality actors circular retired the cast. Banderas leans into comedy, playing not lone his quality but each of Cabot’s ancestors who torment his subconscious (a priest, a pilot, a prospector and a conquistador). There’s adjacent a philharmonic fig — with nuns.

But thing astir “Paddington successful Peru” doesn’t rather connect; it’s missing a definite campy verve, the mischievous twinkle successful its oculus that Grant brought to his portrayal of atrocious histrion Phoenix Buchanan successful the 2nd film. Colman finds that tone, but there’s not astir capable of her successful the film.

“Paddington successful Peru” is inactive incredibly touching successful its communicative of acceptance from some recovered household and commencement family. It’s inactive silly and amusing, with a childlike innocence and purity of bosom that appeals to some kids and adults. It inactive pays homage to movie past successful a mode that volition delight cinephiles. But having attained the heights of “Paddington 2,” this 3rd installment tin lone interval downward ever truthful slightly.

Katie Walsh is simply a Tribune News Service movie critic.