‘Paddington 2’ Is Now The Highest-Rated Film In Rotten Tomatoes History

The 2014 family film Paddington was one of those rare films that are entertaining for kids and adults alike: brilliant cast, good story, with no pandering to the lowest-common-denominator. The sequel, Paddington 2, which just hit theaters in the U.S. this month, looks to be more of the same — but you would believe it’s the best-reviewed movie in history?!
Okay, that’s a bit misleading, but believe it or not, Paddington 2 is now the highest-rated film ever on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
The site has collected 167 reviews from around the globe and not a single one of them is negative, giving it a 100% fresh rating with more positive reviews than any other film.
For seven years, that record was held by the 2010 animated film Toy Story 3, until two months ago when indie film Lady Bird took the crown.
However, with 218 reviews posted for Lady Bird, eventually, one negative review came in, knocking its percentage down to 99%.
Paddington 2 director Paul King, while hopeful that audiences would enjoy the film, is nonetheless stunned by the reaction.
“It’s incredibly gratifying,” says King. “It’s a strange experience and you can’t help but hope for the best for this little character and the film you’ve created. It’s very lovely they were warm and enthusiastic.”
Of course, critics are one thing, but the only response that really counts is that of the audience; luckily, Paddington 2 has an impressive 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Paddington films are inspired by the classic bear created by British children’s author Michael Bond, famous for his old hat and duffle coat.
Actor Ben Whishaw is the voice of Paddington in the films, with Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville as the patriarch of the Brown family, who take the lovable bear into their home. Paddington 2 co-stars Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Peter Capaldi, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Grant.