Right, does anyone remember when this came out? Well I do. And honestly, I dismissed it as yet another live action remake, but this time it didn’t even have the benefit of being a Disney movie.
Well, now I need you to hear this: You need to completely dismiss my ignorant thoughts. This movie is magnificent.
First, no one told me how good the cast were?! All I knew was Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame played a pretty big part. Sure, Hugh is great, but he’s not exactly enough to draw anyone in, is he? Not a single person mentioned that Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Imelda Staunton, Michael Gambon (so basically the entire cast of Harry Potter), Peter Capaldi and Hollywood superstar Nicole Kidman made an appearance?! Kidman particularly smashes her role as the villain by the way; she acts it super well whilst managing not to make her character too over the top.
Once you’ve calmed down about how great the cast is, you absolutely have to note how gorgeous the animation is at points. Of course, throughout most of the movie there is only one part of the frame that is animated: Paddington himself. But there are a few sequences set in deepest, darkest Peru in which the animators do such a brilliant job of animating water, jungle landscapes, and several wild animals. Furthermore, the slapstick comedy scenes have elements of animation to them, such as when our furry hero accidentally floods the Browns’ bathroom. Every piece of it is perfect, with no flaws visible to the naked eye.
The creators of this movie – including director Paul King – hit the nail on the head when it comes to creating the emotive effect that only Disney seems to fully conquer usually. (Sorry, Dreamworks). There are several moments in Paddington that will make you do a happy cry, as some of the ground it covers are particularly adult in undertone, making it relatable to everyone.
When the credits began to roll, my heart felt ten times bigger. This is such a wholesome, lovely movie that kind of reminded me of Mary Poppins at times, especially because Bonneville’s character is almost a replica of Mr. Banks from the musical classic.
I’ll leave you with this: I want to give the entire movie a massive cuddle. Watch it.
Paddington is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: 
Cinematography:
Soundtrack:
Costume & Set Design:
Plot:
Overall Rating:
The Quayside Review 
1 Comment