Remember a few months ago when we saw our first glimpse at the new CGI Paddington Bear? Well, that cuddly little guy is long gone in the new Paddington trailer and has been replaced by a gross little critter.
If you were expecting a cute, cuddly bear dressed in a bright blue raincoat, you might have to look somewhere else because you’re not going to find that Paddington here. The first trailer was much more whimsical (almost Harry Potter-esque with the train station setting), but after watching this trailer, I feel a bit deceived about the tone and subject matter of this film.
This new version of Paddington is a lot more low-brow and gaggy. Particularly, the scene where Paddington sticks the toothbrushes in his ears and then proceeds to lick the gobs of wax was particularly disgusting. Instead of a wide-eyed and more subdued friend, we get a goofier version of the bear, which obviously is an attempt to make it more audience friendly. For a film that comes out a Christmas, you would think that they would go with the more traditional and cozy version of Paddington instead of this baffoonish one.
Other than the gags, the other elements of the film seem to work very well. The traditional London setting and the appearance of Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville as the father are welcome additions. Hopefully the film’s future trailers play up more of these elements, instead of the gross gags, which seem so uncharacteristically Paddington.
Official synopsis:
From the producer of HARRY POTTER, a modern take on the iconic and beloved adventures of Paddington bear, translated into 40 languages worldwide.
Adapted from Michael Bond’s beloved books, PADDINGTON tells the story of a polite young bear from Peru with an endearing talent for comic chaos, who arrives in London in search of a home.
Paddington has grown up deep in the Peruvian jungle with his Aunt Lucy who, inspired by a chance encounter with an English explorer, has raised her nephew to cook marmalade, listen to the BBC World Service, and dream of an exciting life in London. When an earthquake destroys their home, Aunt Lucy decides the time has come to smuggle her young nephew on board a boat bound for England, in search of a better life. Trusting of the kindness of strangers, she ties a label round his neck which simply reads ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you.’
Lost and alone at Paddington Station, Paddington soon finds that London is not the welcoming, well-mannered land of his dreams, but a rather busy, bustling metropolis where nobody even notices him. Luckily, he meets the Brown family who feel unable to abandon this homeless young bear to his fate. They name him after the station where they found him and offer him a place to stay while he searches for the only person he knows in London: the explorer who impressed Aunt Lucy years before.
But little do the Browns realize just how much comic mayhem one young bear will bring to their family life, and when this rarest of bears catches the eye of a sinister, seductive taxidermist, it isn’t long before his home – and very existence – is under threat…
Following in the footsteps of E.T., Paddington tells the universal tale of an outsider trying to find his place in the world – and gives it an exuberant comic twist. Like Mr. Bean, Paddington promises to delight and enchant the whole family.
Padddington will be released in theatres December 12, 2014.
