Paddington 2

Paddington (voiced by Elyas M`Barek), the most popular bear in London, is back! By now he has settled in well with his new family, the Browns, and has become a valuable member of the community. He even has a job: he works in the antique shop of old Mr. Gruber (Jim Broadbent). Here he also wants to find a gift for his Aunt Lucy, who is about to turn 100. An old pop up book about London would be absolutely perfect - but unfortunately the magical book is very expensive. Only self-absorbed actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) knows how valuable it really is, though, and he snatches the book one night. Too bad that the suspicion of the theft falls on Paddington, who has observed the burglary and pursued the crook. But no one wants to believe him and the little bear ends up in prison. Only the Browns believe in his innocence and they do everything they can to restore Paddington's reputation.

With the film adaptation of the stories about Paddington the bear, dreamt up by British writer Michael Bond, director Paul King won the hearts of cinema audiences almost three years ago. Paddington, who has enjoyed enormous popularity, especially in his native Great Britain, for more than five decades and has experienced a number of adventures in several books, a puppet series and an animated series with the Browns, attracted more than 2 million visitors to the cinemas in Germany alone. Under the direction of Harry Potter producer David Heyman, Paul King has brought the lovable bear to a whole new life - a feat he has now achieved once again.

While Paddington 2 initially makes the impression that the film suffers from the typical sequel syndrome and thus can not reach the class of part 1. Some scenes from the first movie are revisited and shown in a slightly different way and Paddington's clumsiness creates even more turbulent chaos than in the first movie. You get the feeling that there's an all-out effort here to take what worked so well the first time and kick it up a notch. But luckily this impression only lasts for a few minutes. Because then Paddington 2 turns into not only one of the funniest, most original and endearing family films of the year, but also one of the few sequels that is better than the first part.

This is primarily due to the story, which has found a wonderful villain in Hugh Grant. A slightly schizophrenic actor driven by an insane ego, he not only gets to play a variety of roles, such as the most attractive nun I've ever seen, but he also gets to poke fun at his former Sonny Boy image. This is so incredibly fun that it alone makes the film more entertaining than its predecessor. On the flip side, it's also the unpredictability of the playful ideas King employs that makes this sequel so successful. The entire plotline in the prison is full of surprises - both dramaturgical and visual - and makes for some of the funniest and most inventive scenes of the cinematic year.

A very big compliment goes to King and his co-writer Simon Farnaby here for the way they've handled the emotional moments of the story. They skillfully avoid using too much pathos or kitsch, creating something heartwarmingly beautiful that is increasingly rare, especially in commercial family films. The last minute of the film alone is a bit of a feat in this regard, as this emotional climax is actually only hinted at and not cannibalized. And that's exactly why it's so effective and makes even seasoned men cry. Anyone who doesn't at least get moist eyes here truly has a heart of stone ;-)

Paddington 2 is an almost perfect film for the whole family. If some scenes had been taken down a notch, there really wouldn't be any criticism of this bearish tale. If you liked part 1, you will love this movie. A film to laugh, to feel good and to sob - cinema can be that beautiful! Absolutely worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp