Two years after Netflix launched the primary movie, Enola Holmes 2 returns viewers to the world initially created by younger grownup novelist Nancy Springer, the place the well-known detective Sherlock Holmes has a youthful sister who additionally occurs to be a detective. Enola Holmes, launched in 2020 and launched viewers to the titular character, a headstrong and earnest younger lady decided to make her personal approach on this planet. The character returns within the sequel for a extra tightly plotted story that additionally weaves in fairly a deal extra of the Sherlock Holmes mythos. Enola Holmes 2 continues the custom of cozy thriller from its predecessor, with pleasant performances from Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill.
Following the occasions of the primary film, Enola Holmes (Brown) units up her personal detective company however struggles to get purchasers, with most individuals wanting her older brother Sherlock (Cavill) to take their instances as an alternative. That is, till a younger lady asks for assist discovering her lacking older sister Sarah Chapman (Hannah Dodd). Enola throws herself into monitoring down Sarah with gusto and shortly discovers it overlaps with a case of stolen authorities cash that is thwarting her older brother. Both Holmes siblings are reluctant to just accept assist, however when the case takes a lethal flip, teaming up turns into a necessity. In addition to teaming up with Sherlock, Enola should be taught to ask for assist from all her allies, together with the Viscount Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) and her still-wayward mom Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter). Meanwhile, Sherlock might want to hunt down the help of Eudoria’s cohort Edith (Susan Wokoma). Only collectively, and with some assist, will Enola and Sherlock be capable to remedy each their instances.
Where the primary Enola Holmes film was a bit of too scattershot, with too many disparate story threads to really feel like a cohesive story, Jack Thorne’s script for Enola Holmes 2 is way more elegant in the way it ties all of the points of the movie collectively. Thorne, who penned the script for the primary film as nicely, retains every little thing that labored nicely from Enola Holmes, together with the character’s charming tone and fourth wall-breaking tendencies, whereas managing to weave a extra well-plotted thriller. The thriller of Sarah Chapman is simply as advanced as a viewer would possibly count on after the primary movie, and is expansive sufficient for Sherlock to have his personal aspect in it. Thorne even pulls in actual historic occasions, loosely basing the character of Sarah on the lady of the identical identify concerned within the matchgirls’ strike of 1888. Enola Holmes 2 removed what did not work from the primary movie, giving viewers extra of what they preferred.
Enola Holmes 2 consists of extra of Cavill’s Sherlock, who’s extra concerned within the thriller of Sarah Chapman and, in consequence, Enola’s life. Though Brown can lead the film simply on her personal — and she or he’s simply as charming as within the first movie — it is a delight to see her and Cavill convey to life the sibling dynamic between Enola and Sherlock. Thorne’s script positions them as two sides of the identical coin and the actors play these completely different, however comparable, points of their characters very nicely. Their vitality onscreen is ridiculously entertaining, particularly in a scene the place Enola helps Sherlock house after an evening out. Cavill demonstrates some enjoyable comedy abilities right here, whereas Brown continues to flex her main star chops. The different returning stars, Partridge, Carter and Wokoma, are fulfilling as their characters, although they’re considerably outshined by the brand new gamers, together with David Thewlis because the menacing police inspector Grail and Sharon Duncan-Brewster’s deliciously advanced new character. Altogether, Brown leads Enola Homes 2 nicely on her personal, however the film shines essentially the most when she’s given an entertaining accomplice to work with.
Perhaps certainly one of Enola Holmes 2’s solely weaknesses is its incapacity to reconcile its low-stakes story with its need to be a high-stakes thriller motion thriller. Thorne’s script and the path of Harry Bradbeer, who additionally returns from the primary movie, flip a narrative a few lacking lady and stolen authorities cash right into a film that features a jail break and a number of explosions. There is a specific amount of motion inherent to a narrative the place a younger lady realizing jujitsu is essential to her character, however Enola Holmes 2 generally takes it a bit too far. There’s nothing fallacious with a low-stakes thriller if it is well-plotted sufficient to be participating, however at sure factors it feels as if Thorne and Bradbeer are throwing in additional flash as a result of they don’t seem to be assured sufficient within the story. It’s not so out of left subject as to be detrimental to the movie, however maybe it will be greatest if the filmmakers accepted Enola Holmes 2 is a comfortable homicide thriller and the film is entertaining as a result of of that, not regardless of it.