Review of Paddington 2 (2017) by Joel%20 Z — 21 Dec 2017

After 2015's Paddington was a surprise critical and commercial hit, it was only a matter of time for this sequel to be released. Two years is a mighty quick turnaround, but for director Paul King and his cast and crew, it was all they needed to deliver another delightful adventure.

Having found himself a home in London with the Brown family, our furry little protagonist (again voiced by Ben Whishaw with bucket loads of charm) is now job-hunting in order to earn enough money to buy an antique pop-up book for his dear Aunt Lucy.

Hijinks ensue, of course, and Paddington goes through a whirlwind journey of cleaning windows, going to prison, eating lots of marmalade, shaving off a judge's hair and learning many life lessons along the way.

Much like its predecessor, this follow-up cares little for solid plotting or meaty character arcs, instead focussing on cute and clever set pieces and its central heartfelt message of being nice to one another.

There's an admirable simplicity to it that allows the sweetness to just wash over you; the Wes Anderson-esque cinematography and production design is gorgeous, whilst the complete lack of irony in tone is endearingly wholesome.

Fun for the whole family, Paddington 2 is an exciting and enchanting yarn that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve.