Paddington 2 (2018) Dir: Paul King
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Following up on the success and popularity of the 2014 original, this 2018 sequel picks up where its predecessor left of; with lots of silly and fun antics. Directed by Paul King, the film takes a more adventurous approach to the story, but maintains a keen penchant for whimsy and light comedy that will have audiences of all ages laughing.
The story itself is arguably even better than its predecessor, with a well formed and entertaining journey that balances sensical storytelling with humorous fun.
Furthermore, I really appreciated how certain plot points were established early on in the film, so that they paid off later in a very satisfying fashion.
Ben Whishaw returns as the beloved marmalade-loving bear, and does not disappoint in his second outing as the franchise's iconic protagonist. I think he has a soft, endearing voice that is perfect for the role.
Hugh Bonnerville returns with a similarly funny, if a little less significant, performance to that of the first film. I think I preferred him in his prior appearance, but he was still enjoyable here too.
Another returning actor is Sally Hawkins, who continues to show a very endearing and wholesome side of her that suits the story perfectly.
Hugh Grant makes for a very entertaining villain, using his trademark flamboyance and wit to deliver some brilliantly humorous moments. I think he was absolutely hilarious, something I've come to appreciate in recent years.
Brendan Gleeson is typically hilarious, as he often is, in this supporting role. I wasn't expecting his character to be half as enjoyable as he was, but Gleeson is honestly just that good.
Finally, I'll give mentions to some of the wide array of talent to appear in the supporting cast; Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Jim Broadbent, Simon Farnaby, Michael Gambon, Aaron Neil, Noah Taylor, Jamie Demetriou, Tom Conti, Richard Ayoade, Ben Miller, Tom Davis, Peter Capaldi, Joel Fry, Marie-France Alvarez, Joanna Lumley, Jessica Hynes, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Catherine Shepherd and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.
Overall, this is a wonderful sequel with heart, creativity and character that will leave any and all who watch it with a big smile on their face and give them plenty to laugh about from start to finish.
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