As a 90’s baby, just the thought of Paddington Bear alone brings back so much nostalgic memories. I remember having an impressive collection of Paddington Bear books and curling up on the couch watching reruns of the Paddington cartoon on television when I was a little girl. Who could forget Paddington Bear in his iconic blue duffle coat and his marmalade sandwich shenanigans?!
As you would expect, I was ecstatic to find out that Paddington Bear was coming to the big screen for the first time ever in a magical adventure film. Now, the wait is finally over and Paddington will premiere tomorrow (11 December 2014) at cinemas nationwide. Thanks to our friends at TGV Cinemas, I got the opportunity to catch the movie ahead of its release!
Here is a short synopsis of the movie:
Many years ago, an explorer from London headed to the darkest Peru for research and on his journey, he made friends with two bears, Pastuzo and Lucy. Before the explorer left for home, he taught the bears many things, including how to eat marmalade. He also left his red hat with the bears.
Years later, Pastuzo and Lucy are seen taking care of a young bear. Naturally, the young bear was very passionate for all things British and also loved marmalade, as taught by his Uncle Pastuzo and Aunt Lucy.
After an unfortunate earthquake struck their home, the young Peruvian bear travels to London in search for a home. It was very tough for him and he realized that life in London is not at all how he had imagined it to be.
Finding himself lost and alone, he meets the kind Brown family who read the label around the bear’s neck which said, “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” Seeing that the bear was discovered at Paddington station, the Browns named the bear Paddington and offered him a temporary home until he finds proper caretakers.
Paddington gets himself into tons of trouble and this angered Mr. Brown who decided that it wasn’t safe for a bear to be living with his family. On the other hand, Mrs. Brown helped Paddington look for the explorer his Uncle Pastuzo always talked about, in hopes that the explorer would give him a proper home.
Trouble then came looking for Paddington as he catches the eye of a museum taxidermist who wanted to add Paddington to her collection of priceless animal displays. Would Paddington manage to escape the taxidermist and would he find the explorer? You’ll just have to watch to find out!
Verdict:
As a fan of Paddington Bear, I must say that the iconic bear is brought to life in the most beautiful and heart-warming manner. Paddington is an absolute delight to watch and it’s a true family film. Having been the subject of countless children books and television series, the bear’s charm and witty spirit still remains even though this is a full-blown movie. Unlike many other films based on cartoons, the essence of Paddington Bear is not lost in the movie.
Although Paddington is essentially a children’s film, the movie is highly entertaining and genuinely funny, even for adults. The silly jokes throughout the movie are sometimes a hit and miss, but there is just enough to keep you amused and intrigued. As with most family-based movies, Paddington also touches on family values and togetherness, which at some point, made me tearfully sad during the movie.
The cast in the movie is really nothing to shout about. Having said that, the characters somehow gel together very well. The Browns come off as a very British, modern and relatable family, while Nicole Kidman plays the perfect villain for Paddington. Another thing to note is that the team behind Paddington has done a wonderful job with the graphics and visual effects. The bear looks so real and its fur looks fantastic on screen.
Paddington is a charming and enjoyable movie for the whole family to cuddle up to. Its premiere also comes just in time for Christmas, which is perfect if you ask me! Catch it in cinemas beginning tomorrow or watch the trailer below. 😉
