Over the last few years I have been following the adventures of Millie Bobby Brown as the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes in a series called Enola Holmes. I never watched Stranger Things, but I love Sherlock stories and was curious if this new twist would work. It did. Millie Bobby Brown brought the character to life for me. I was seriously impressed. The chemistry between her and Henry Cavill who played Sherlock was strong.
The first Enola Holmes movie was released in 2020, followed by two sequels so far - Enola Holmes 2 in 2022 and Enola Holmes 3 in 2026. I just finished watching the last this wekk, and as far as I am concerned there is room for more. Like on Stranger Things, the character of Enola Holmes is growing up. In the first movie she is sixteen. By the third movie she is in her early twenties. This means her character is changing and maturing, which opens endless opportunities for new plots.
In the first movie, her mother Eudoria Holmes (played by Helena Bonham Carter) mysteriously disappears on her 16th birthday, leaving behind a series of coded cipher messages. When her brother Mycroft wants to put her in a boarding school she runs away. In the second movie, Enola opens her own detective agency but struggles to find clients until a young matchstick girl hires her to find a missing sister. In the third, she is to be married, but on the way to the wedding finds out Sherlock has been kidnapped, as is her future mother in law a few days later. For each of these movies, the synopsis above could read, "And the plot thickens." Each movie is way more complicated that the opening premise. There is danger, intrigue and always a evil plot to foil.
It has been a long time since I watched the first two movies, but I think this third movie is my favorite. Her character has become an adult, so the depth of Brown's performance and the scripts themselves have deepened. I also want to applaud the production on a wider basis. The casting across the board is excellent. The script offer a balance of mystery, intrigue, danger and humor that kept me drawn in. Great sets and strong filming were icing on the cake. And I loved the little asides where Enola looks right into the camera and breaks the fourth wall - speaking an aside to viewers.
All three movies offer a modern twist to the old classic books. The biggest difference is the touch of humor included. While this is not not traditional, it was a great choice to give more range to the character of Enola Holmes and to modernize the story. And given the chaos and darkness in the world today, I love watching movies with a lighter touch offered alongside to intrigue and danger.
Well done to all involved. And if you loved the classic mysteries, I think you'll enjoy this new series. But most of all, if you love seeing strong independent young women on screen, you'll find one in the character of Enola Holmes. She's not a super hero, or perfect. She is determined, smart and oh so human. She faces doubts and makes mistakes, but still determined to do right thing.
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