REVIEW: Paddington 2
★★★★½

Everyone's favourite bear is back.
Sequels are usually never quite as good as their predecessors, but Paddington 2 proves that this definitely isn't always the case. In what some would argue is even better than the first instalment, director Paul King returns to the world of Paddington Bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) to let us revel in his adventures once again.
In this follow-up, Paddington, who is now officially an adopted member of the Brown family, has become a regular fixture of his London neighbourhood. Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins reprise their parental roles as Henry and Mary Brown, and while there's no Nicole Kidman this time around, a hilarious Hugh Grant is the new antagonist in town as Phoenix Buchanan, a narcissistic and washed-up actor who puts his skills to use by assuming various disguises throughout the film (and who may or may not have been based on Hugh Grant himself).
The film follows Paddington as he seeks out the perfect gift for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, and he comes across a pop-up book of London in an antique shop--the only problem? It's a little out of his price range. Determined to buy the book, Paddington enters the workforce, and after some mishaps, he eventually finds his groove. But alas, it isn't long before Paddington runs into trouble--as it turns out, Phoenix Buchanan is after the exact same pop-up book. After Paddington notices a shady figure stealing the book from the antique shop, he chases the crook down only for Paddington to then be accused of committing the crime himself. Following his arrest, Paddington is forced to navigate life in prison--yes, prison--and in the form of a wonderful homage to Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel, he must find a way to clear his name.
While on the surface Paddington 2 may seem like merely another children's movie about an anthropomorphic bear, it's definitely a film that can easily be enjoyed by anyone. After all, it broke Lady Bird's previous Rotten Tomatoes record as the highest-rated film of all time and is still standing proud at perfect 100%. Beloved by critics and audiences alike, Paddington 2 boasts wonderful visuals and witty dialogue that makes it a film that would beat out many of this year's "adult" releases so far in terms of its quality.
But there is one thing above all else that makes the film franchise the success that it is, and that is its ability to render a protagonist that is quite impossible for anyone to dislike. Seriously, if you don't finish a Paddington film without the slightest urge to adopt Paddington yourself... are you sure you're human? Paddington 2 poses some pretty rough obstacles for the young bear, and it's hard to stop your heart from hurting at some of the struggles he experiences. It may just sound like I'm extremely and bizarrely attached to this fictional bear, but enchantment is a common effect that Paddington has on his audiences, and it's ridiculously hard for anyone to not fall in love with him.
Rumour has it a third instalment is in the works for Paddington, and with Paul King involved, it is sure to be just as good as the first two. But that is likely a ways off, so for now, the first two will have to be enough to provide audiences with some pure cinematic joy when they need it.
Side note: I read that someone asked Paul King if there were any "Free Paddington" buttons you could purchase, and he said he didn't know of any. Can this please be a thing? I would buy them all. Someone, please, make this happen!