nigepitz

What an utterly charming film. I afraid though, that many reviewers failed in their duty to give it 10 stars. This is the only rating applicable to Paddington. All other scores are wrong. It is not an easy trick to pull off to combine charm, wit and an engaging and entertaining story. Paddington does this as though it is as easy as making a marmalade sandwich. The cast are pitch perfect with Hugh Bonneville a delight and Julie Walters stealing every scene. Hollywood has produced so much dross in the last few years and all they needed to have done is to watch Paddington to see how it's done. Paddington 2 was equally wonderful and here's hoping they nail it a third time in P3.

This is not really a movie it's more a series of cliches stitched together into the sort of plot that a 10 year old would be embarrassed to write. The familiar tropes are all present and correct and copied and pasted into lowest common denominator brainless trash. In other words, like every other modern Hollywood movie built to cater to low IQ and short attention span Americans. However Eddie Murphy is on good form in a role that doesn't demand much from him. Its a little like McDonalds in that you know it's absolute filth and you will have forgotten about it ten minutes later but you can't help diving in and telling yourself that this time it's going to be delicious. It's not but it's not a steaming dog turd either.

Let's skip over the fact that Alan Ritchson can't act to save his life and concentrate on the rest of the non-event. It's like watching a series of short set pieces poorly stitched together. The plot is derivative and the violence over the top and cartoon like. Yes, we know Americans are obsessed with guns and violence so every TV series or movie has to feature the deaths of thousands of baddies who can't shoot straight and heroes who can jump out the way of bullets, but this has become so tedious. So over 7 episodes we pass through an assault course of childish gun-foolery until we get to an obvious and hugely disappointing final episode. It's hard to criticise too much as this is the best TV can offer now as everything has to be dumbed down for the gibbering masses. The writer is apparently 'award winning' but so were my granddad's parsnips. All in all a waste of 7 hours.