Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): ‘Paddington in Peru’ proves third time’s still a charm for beloved children’s series
The story on this page has some tougher vocabulary words and questions to improve your understanding and English grammar.
Beloved bear Paddington heads to the jungles of Peru in his latest film. Photo: HandoutContent provided by British Council
[1] It was never going to be easy to follow up on Paddington 2. It is one of the best reviewed films of all time. Many were concerned that a third movie would suffer from being compared to the second.
[2] Director Paul King brought his magic to the first two parts. However, he announced he would step aside for the third film. Actress Sally Hawkins also decided not to return. She played Mrs Brown, part of the London family that adopts Paddington. The little bear is known for his love of marmalade sandwiches and nose for chaos.
[3] Thankfully, Paddington in Peru manages to ride these choppy waters. Still, it never touches the eye-moistening brilliance of the second film. As the title suggests, Paddington returns to his native land to see Aunt Lucy. She now lives in a Home for Retired Bears run by nuns and situated near the Amazon jungle.
[4] Paddington (voiced again by the perfect Ben Whishaw) gets word from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) that his beloved relative is sad. So he and the Browns take flight to visit. When they arrive, it is revealed that Aunt Lucy has wandered into the jungle. Paddington resolves to find her, together with Mr Brown (Hugh Bonneville), wife Mary (Emily Mortimer), and kids Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin).
[5] Housekeeper Mrs Bird (Julie Walters) stays behind with Colman’s upbeat nun as the Browns set out for their adventure. They brave river rapids and more when they hire a boat run by Antonio Banderas’ shady captain and his teenage daughter Gina (Carla Tous). This being Peru, there’s talk of lost treasure and the search for the magical land of El Dorado. Still, the film is smart enough to find a heartwarming twist to that age-old story.
[6] The film beautifully integrates live-action footage and computer-generated visuals, especially Paddington himself. The background details also pop. One bear is seen reading the “Furnancial Times”, while Paddington inspires one llama to move with what he calls “llama-lade”.
[7] If we wanted to be critical, we could say director Dougal Wilson didn’t create a villain as memorable as Nicole Kidman from 2014’s Paddington or Hugh Grant in the 2017 sequel. Banderas’ character, haunted by the ghosts of his ancestors, doesn’t cut it.
[8] The roles for the children are also non-existent, and the action is clearly skewed towards younger viewers. But given how often a threequel flops, Paddington in Peru effortlessly rises above its peers.
Source: South China Morning Post, November 4
Questions
1. Where does Paddington go on his adventure in Paddington in Peru according to paragraph 3?
A. a city in England
B. a home for retired bears near the Amazon jungle
C. A treasure island
D. A marmalade factory
2. In paragraph 4, the main goal of Paddington and the Browns is to ..
A. rescue Aunt Lucy.
B. find lost treasure.
C. explore the Amazon jungle.
D. none of the above
3. Who is the captain of the boat mentioned in paragraph 5?
4. According to the writer in paragraph 7, what is the issue with the villain in Paddington in Peru?
5. In which section of the newspaper are you mostly likely to find this text?
A. local news
B. health and fitness
C. fashion and beauty
D. film reviews
6. Cross out the word or phrase that needs to be removed for the sentences to be grammatically correct.
(i) Paddington in Peru follows Paddington as he travels to the Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy.
(ii) Along the way, he encounters some interesting characters, instead of including a shady captain played by Antonio Banderas.
(iii) The film is many filled with heartwarming moments, beautiful visuals, and clever humor.
Answers
1. B
2. A
3. Antonio Banderas
4. He is not as memorable as the villains in the earlier Paddington films. (accept all similar answers)
5. D
6. (i) the; (ii) instead of; (iii) many