Enola Holmes 2 Review
The promotional poster for Enola Holmes 2. Source: Unifcation France, Flickr
Netflix released the hit movie Enola Holmes in September 2020, which follows the titular character as she navigates her teenage life while living in the shadows of her two brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. When Enola’s mother goes missing, it is up to her to find out where her mother has gone, all while trying to fend for herself as her brothers have their own issues to worry about.
Enola Holmes made Netflix history by becoming one of the most-watched films with an estimated 76 million households watching the film over its first four weeks of release. The franchise has a star-studded cast, with Millie Bobby Brown starring as Enola Holmes, Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes, Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes and Louis Partridge as Viscount Tewkesbury.
On Nov. 4, 2022, Enola Holmes 2 was released on Netflix. The second film follows Enola and the grand opening of her very own detective agency. Enola finally gets her first case: a little girl who is looking for her sister who has gone missing. Enola is determined to solve her first-ever case, and the audience follows along with Enola as she begins to unravel the details of this mysterious disappearance. What is fascinating about the mystery in this film is that the plot is actually based on a true story about a woman named Sarah Chapman, and how she fought for female workers’ rights, specifically in the industrial industries.
Although the Enola Holmes films are arguably targeted towards a younger audience, as a college student, I found the film to be very entertaining and it definitely kept me on my feet. The second film, specifically, does an excellent job of balancing both the development of the characters and the mystery plot. As Enola became closer and closer to discovering the mystery, she learned more about herself and what mattered to her. Enola’s relationships with those who matter most to her, such as Sherlock, her mother and Viscount Tewkesbury, grow throughout this film because she accepts their guidance in helping her figure out the case. Her accepting their help does not mean she has been defeated, it simply means that she is embracing the people who care about her.
One aspect of this film that I think is incredibly important is the fact that Enola is portrayed as a strong, independent girl who can fight her own battles, but she is also shown as being vulnerable and open to the idea of love, specifically with Partridge’s Viscount Tewkesbury. Enola and Tewkesbury’s relationship has always been one of my favorite parts of these films because, on the surface, the two could not be more different from each other, but deep down they can both relate to the feeling of having the whole world rest upon their shoulders. Their relationship truly blossoms throughout this film in a beautiful way.
Enola Holmes 2 is the perfect combination of humor, mystery and romance all rolled up into one movie. A sign of a truly good film is being able to cry, laugh and be shocked all within the 2-hour duration, and Enola Holmes 2 definitely delivers on that front. If you watched Stranger Things and have been looking to see Millie Bobby Brown explore other roles, I highly recommend checking out this film because Millie has put her all into this franchise and you can truly see how much she cares about the character and the story through her acting.
Make sure to check out Enola Holmes and Enola Holmes 2 streaming now on Netflix!