The film captured the hearts of the nation and it’s being shown on Boxing Day
08:00, 26 Dec 2025Updated 09:20, 26 Dec 2025
The film has been hailed a “classic” (Image:
ALLSTAR/STUDIOCANAL
)
There can be no doubt this feel-good movie captured the hearts of the nation when it was released back in 2017 and it’s being shown on BBC today.
Paddington 2 was a huge box office success, surpassing the much-loved original film, and has been hailed a “classic” by many fans who can’t get enough of the adventures of the little bear from Peru. Starring Ben Whishaw as the title character, Paddington 2 follows everyone’s favourite bear as he battles a new villain, Phoenix Buchanan, played to perfection by Hugh Grant.
All the favourite cast members return for the sequel, including Hugh Bonneville as Harry brown, with Sally Hawkins as his wife, Mary. Their trusty Scottish housekeeper, Mrs Bird, played by Julie Walters is back, along with a host of other famous faces from Jim Broadbent to Peter Capaldi and Imelda Staunton as Paddington’s beloved Aunt Lucy.
Ben Whishaw voices Paddington (Image:
ALLSTAR/STUDIOCANAL
)
Joining the cast are Brendan Gleeson as one of Paddington’s fellow prisoners – if you’re one of the few not to have watched this is an unexpected plot twist. Not only was Paddington 2 a huge commercial success, making a whopping $283.7 million at the box office, it was also loved by critics, who awarded it a near perfect 99 percent approval rating on the movie review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
One critic gave it five out of five stars, saying: “Brimming with cinematic and family-themed amusement and timeless with the effectiveness of kindness, “Paddington 2″ is an genuine delight on multiple levels.” While another hailed it a “guiding light in the dark”, adding: “A guiding light in the dark to help place a worldwide blanket of comfort over us all, all the while placing a hand on our shoulders and saying, if you’re kind and polite, the world will be right.”
Hugh Grant as ‘outrageous’ Phoenix Buchanan in Paddington 2
A third said: “Paul King made a thrilling, funny, heartwarming film with Paddington 2, one that easily outclasses its predecessor. [TOP 50 FILMS OF THE DECADE]” And another added: “It is all silly, zany and utterly delightful. Paddington 2 is a masterclass in filmmaking for children, and a brilliant example of what filmmakers can achieve with relative simplicity.”
Fans were equally quick to heap praise on the family favourite. One review said: “This movie was the best movie I have ever seen. Number 1 movie ever!” Another added: “This is an absolute classic which never misses a joke and is a British masterpiece.” A third said: “this movie is just absolute perfect you can ruin the animation make it bad but the story is a masterpiece.
Another fan said: “I thought it a absolutely perfect films it so good perfect funny film I absolutely love it was a absolutely loved it a absolutely loved it a absolutely wonderful film I absolutely really recommend it to you and perfect perfect film.”
Paddington 2 is on BBC1 at 5.20pm on Boxing Day, December 26.
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