Words By Floss Harrison
In 2020, British actress Millie Bobby Brown graced our TV screens with the latest Netflix original, Enola Holmes, directed by Harry Bradbeer. This fun-loving drama starring Milly Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes and Henry Cavill as her famous older brother, Sherlock Holmes, proved to be a box office success, being the most-watched film on Netflix over the first five days of its release. The film focuses on Enola HolmesÔÇÖ journey into London after her mother mysteriously disappears, leaving a trail of clues for Enola to unpick behind her. Her adventure starts once she meets the young Viscount Tewkesbury, who is running away from an unknown man who has been instructed by another unknown figure to kill him. Enola then gets entangled in his journey, as they both attempt to unpick the mystery that threatens the future of the entire country.
Personally, I thought this film was wonderfully entertaining and fun-loving; BrownÔÇÖs connection with the audience by breaking down the fourth wall with her witty remarks and facial expressions created a warm and easy watch. ÔÇÿEnola HolmesÔÇÖ holds so much potential to become a successful, family-friendly franchise, with features such as the adaptation of a story that already has a place in popular film culture and the innocent youth turned hero trope, to name a few. Whilst this film satisfied my needs for heart-warming friendships and exciting story arcs, I personally did not watch this in one sitting. At two hours long, I felt like the plot didnÔÇÖt have enough complexity and depth for the audience to be hooked from the very beginning until the end. Whilst it did offer a couple of plot twists and gripping fights amongst the streets of London, it wasnÔÇÖt enough for me to be on the edge of my seat, wondering who was behind the mystery – until Enola Holmes 2 came along.
Enola Holmes 2, released to Netflix on 27th October 2022, follows Enola as she decides to open up a detective agency in London, leading her to the disappearance of a matchstick factory worker, Sarah Chapman. As she begins to unravel this mystery and learn more about SarahÔÇÖs story, her and Sherlock both come to realise that their cases are linked together, leading to a much wider issue that affects all the matchstick workers in London. Once again, this energetic movie sequel is dominated by BrownÔÇÖs charm and wit, especially as we begin to see her growth as a young independent, female protagonist. It is evident that, whilst Enola and TewkesburyÔÇÖs flourishing relationship proved to be a success with the filmÔÇÖs demographic in Enola Holmes, it seems like the directors and producers of this Netflix sequel decided to put the filmÔÇÖs focus on the boisterous, yet loveable, sibling relationship with older brother Sherlock. BradbeerÔÇÖs decision to make Sherlock EnolaÔÇÖs main parental figure compared to her mother, Eudoria Holmes (Helena Bonham Carter) in the first film, significantly elevated the film from a charming, teen, comedic drama to a tone that was much darker and more compelling than the first.
The clever twists and turns of this film had me glued to the screen from beginning to end, as Bradbeer made sure to include revelations made by Enola and Sherlock at every turning point of this film, and not just at the end climax. The plotÔÇÖs matured complexity enabled me to watch this sequel as a proper Holmes detective film, with the elements of humour and comedic value when breaking the fourth wall, allowing the film to target its demographic perfectly.
So, is Enola Holmes 2 worth watching? If youÔÇÖre looking for a film that has wonderfully witty comedic elements, a gripping mystery that unravels to a wider story, and simply has Henry Cavill on your TV screen, then this film is definitely worth the watch. As a sequel to Enola Holmes, these two hours of screen time will be ensured to leave you feeling satisfied by the solved mystery, fulfilled by BrownÔÇÖs wonderful performance, and simply, wanting more.┬á┬á