Paddington 2

PG cert, 95 min Our favourite ursine Peruvian immigrant left his uncommonly charming debut in such a warm and happy place, there’s a nagging lack of comic friction as we dive back in for the sequel. But impatience is dispelled as the plot kicks in, with Hugh Grant cast as the star villain – a deliciously self-absorbed acting legend on the hunt for an antique pop-up book that Paddington also covets. Through Grant’s machinations, the poor bear is framed for robbery, and sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Returning director Paul King proves that the crackpot inspiration that powered the first film was no fluke. Prison is exactly the place for Paddington, in that his understated melancholy makes him more adorable behind bars.

If you can resist the sight of Grant’s washed-up villain dressed as a dog sampling dog-food in a gleefully tatty advert, you’ll probably be able to resist Paddington 2. But it will really take some effort. TR

A full version of this review ran in earlier editions. Go to telegraph.co.uk/film