Enola Holmes 2 – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Enola Holmes 2 – Mystery so Obvious … I am a Detective  

Stories are wonderous threads of ideas, stringing together moments that intrigue the audience.  In that thought, you witness certainties that move characters to new places.  In these next chapters, there is hope that you will have the same excitement as you did before … but sometimes it doesn’t happen.  In this review, I look at a Netflix sequel that pushes forward in the familiar.  Within a slew of detective tropes, Enola Holmes 2 provides general fun in what it means to solve the case. 

This story continues the tale of Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown), a young girl trying to become a great detective like her brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill).  As she begins her new career, her first case leads to a larger conspiracy.  Standing at a crossroads, will she solve the mystery are succumb to the pressures of the detective world.  Going into this film, there is an assumption that the audience is familiar with the world.  Being a sequel, you have a quick recap like prologue that provides situational positioning of each character.  Once the pieces of the puzzle are set, you are immediately thrust into the main journey: Enola Holmes taking on her first official case of a missing girl.  From this point, the directive plays with time in the first act, using a mixture of comedic aloofness, 4^th Wall breaking and detective sequences to create some unique spin to a generic mystery.  As Enola Holmes discovers new evidence, each piece adds up to a more dangerous conspiracy.  Once she discovers more truth about the missing girl, this leads into a second act of generalities that parlays with the growth of the main character.  Enola’s personality of whimsical charm allows for a strong anchor among the heavy foreshadowing of moments.  Her interactions with others (especially Sherlock) adds a humanistic side to the detective story.  As things begin to pile up, Enola gets caught up in the conspiracy.  This leads into the worst situation possible, but also a change (for the better) of the story development.

As the walls around her come closing in, the story turns away from the generic tropes and starts to reintroduce wonderous elements of character (from the first).  With this turn of development, you start to see a theme of growth, resilience and reflection.  As Enola faces the faults in her own psyche, she begins to see the truth of the mystery.  This leads to some genuine moments of comradery that level out the convoluted nature of the plot.  As everything comes to light, we head into a third act of action sequences, discovery of the truth and the usual ‘solving the case’ like climax.  Enola Holmes 2 plays with tropes to create an enjoyable sequel.  If you are a fan of the first, like detective stories or just want some family fun, this is one for you.  It is available on Netflix, a genuine fun time at the right price. 

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)