Sometimes you just need to get past the first film. Series introductions are often useful and necessary, but sometimes –just sometimes- they’re cumbersome and superfluous. I think that was the case with the overblown, overwritten Enola Holmes. The sequel, while not terrific, does a much better job of getting right to the heroine and her skill set, which is where the joy lies … if there is joy to be had in this film.
The first Enola Holmes film introduced us to Sherlock Holmes, younger sister, Enola (Millie Bobby Brown). It also introduced her brothers, her mother, her estate, her would-be servants, her likes, her dislikes, her love interest, her massive inferiority complex, her rebellion, her spirit, her pets, her wardrobe, her shoe size, her locker combination, her thoughts on marriage, her distaste for the NHL, etc. … you know it was quite shy on? Her genuine skill set … you know, the talents and specific uses thereof which make us care about her character. These are kind of important when it comes to discussing a detective. Doncha think?
Enola Holmes 2 wasted little time with pleasantries or making sure we knew her older brother was Superman. Enola has her own detective agency downtown that nobody visits. Well, whaddaya expect? This is pre-electricity London; the few who can afford her services expect to get visited by three Christmas ghosts in the night. Instead, Enola gets a case from Bessie, a little factory girl; her sister –a slightly older factory girl- has gone missing. Strange how London at this time has no child labor laws, yet does have a fair amount of diversity. No idea if that is historically accurate, but we’ll give the pic the benefit of the doubt.
So, naturally, Enola goes undercover in London’s reputable Filth District, posing as typhus, where she fits in seamlessly
. And darned if the girl doesn’t uncover a series of clues leading to … murder! Well, that and the intervention of older brother Sherlock, which is just as important. While the first film felt a bit like bubblegum feminine empowerment – or whatever the pseudo-Dickensian equivalent of “bubble gum” is – morphine? Cocaine? , this film contains a genuine mystery. There are certainly bubblegum empowerment moments, like Millie, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Susan Wokoma beating the snuff out of a team of non-Millie bobbies, and yet there is genuine mystery in this film. Look for clues; don’t be on your phone playing “Candy Crush” when dialogue happens; it’s important.
In retrospect, I enjoyed Enola Holmes 2, and not just because it was a sharper and cleverer film than its progenitor. I was skeptical about Millie Bobby Brown carrying a film. I’m now less skeptical. Quite honestly, I think the material and story lines presented are better suited for a TV series than an annual feature length motion picture, but at this point I won’t quibble about watching a sequel.
Enola is back to solve crime around her block
The teen sleuth discovers clues by the clock
You say this film does score?
Even better than before?
All I can say is, “hey, no shit, Sherlock”
Rated PG-13, 129 Minutes
Director: Henry Bradbeer
Writer: Jack Thorne, Henry Bradbeer
Genre: Figuring out if we like this character
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Millie Bobby Brown believers
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The Demogorgon
