The slapstick, sight gags and chase sequences are kicked up a notch but without any loss in lightness of touch. There are even more cameos and supporting turns from major stars ( Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson representing the standouts) and familiar but less easily nameable faces hamming it up on just the right side of silly, like you might find in one of the better Muppet movies. Peripheral characters are developed by gentle increments without losing sight of who is the real star. Reassembling most of the original key talents - both in front of and behind the camera, and above and below the line - this builds immaculately on the world first established in Paddington, like a sensitively designed extension to a well-loved landmark. Happily, that means this latest chapter in the adventures of the West London-dwelling Peruvian bear (once again voiced impeccably by Ben Whishaw) is every bit as perfectly tuned, cruelty-free funny and kind-hearted as its predecessor, maybe even more so. It just suggests the viewer will be in for more of the same.
Paddington 2: Grin and Bear It perhaps? Or the slightly smuttier sounding Paddington Bares All ? Maybe, as a nod to both the protagonist’s favorite foodstuff and a gift to any aging disco bunnies who might be in attendance, Paddington 2: Lady Marmalade? Alas, the best one could say of the title Paddington 2, aside from the fact that it comes pre-search-engine-optimized, is that it doesn’t raise - or dash - expectations in any way. Given how much fun the first Paddingtonfilm was, you would think production company Heyday Films, Studiocanal and the assorted other backers of Paddington 2 might have splashed out a bit and given the newest installment in this successful British-French financed mini-franchise a silly-cute, punning subtitle.
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