Enola Holmes 2

"Enola Holmes 2" is the sequel to the 2020 film "Enola Holmes" based on the book series "The Enola Holmes Mysteries" by Nancy Springer. Once again starring Millie Bobby Brown in the title role, it continues the character's story in the same light-hearted manner as the previous film.

Following the events of the first film, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) decides to set up her own detective agency, hoping to solve mysteries for the citizens of London. However, due to her young age and frequent comparisons to her famous brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill), Enola is unable to find any clients willing to take her seriously. As she contemplates shutting down her business permanently, Enola is visited by a young factory girl named Bessie (Serrana Su-Ling Bliss), who asks Enola to help find her missing sister. Enola immediately accepts the case and is taken by Bessie to her place of work; a matchstick factory experiencing an outbreak of typhus fever. While there, Enola soon discovers a shocking conspiracy that makes her realise she may not be able to solve this new case all by herself.

Back in 2020, I was quite surprised at how much I liked the Netflix film "Enola Holmes", a movie that focused around the adventures of the younger sister of the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Though the story wasn't anything extraordinary, what I thought made it so enjoyable was Millie Bobby Brown's endearing, energetic performance as the title character, a sharp contrast to her more downbeat portrayal of Eleven on "Stranger Things" that we were all used to up to that point. Considering the film is based on a series of books, it was inevitable that there would be at least one follow-up produced in the wake of its success, and now two years later we have "Enola Holmes 2", a sequel that contains most of the same winning ingredients as its predecessor.

Now a few years older, we get to see Enola not only trying to subvert society's expectations of 19th century women but also struggling to make a name for herself as a detective in her own right. The very fact that she is constantly being compared to her brother further adds to her frustration, as she starts to realise that this uphill battle is going to be even more difficult that she had initially anticipated. This added some necessary dramatic weight to the story because Enola learns that nepotism isn't always a guaranteed road to success. If anything, she is at a huge disadvantage having Sherlock Holmes as her brother, since others will instantly view her as the younger sister stuck in his shadow. I like the way the film treats this as a universal issue that any youngest siblings can relate to, especially those who wish to show that they are just as capable, perhaps even more so, than their older family members.

Like with the previous film, Harry Bradbeer continues with his fast-paced, Guy Ritchie-influenced directorial style that helped contribute greatly to what made the original so appealing in the first place. There were numerous parts where the film could have slowed down and become tedious but thankfully there isn't a single moment that drags since the action moves at such breakneck speed. Bradbeer also places better emphasis on the main plot this time, with fewer side stories that could potentially lose the interest of younger viewers. While there are some minor parts that didn't really go anywhere, they didn't distract too much from what was important to the overall story, and even then they were at least easier to understand this time around. Again, I must point out that haven't read any of the original "Enola Holmes" books so I'm not entirely sure how accurate this film is to the source material, but from what I can tell it makes for another entertaining adventure mystery film for teens to young adults.

In her second outing as the main character, Millie Bobby Brown is just so much fun to watch as the loveably peppy Enola Holmes. Every scene she is in, Brown always looks like she is having the time of her life playing this young detective. Whether she's intently investigating a missing person's case or putting up her dukes against any adversaries who dare to take her on, there's a lot to appreciate in the amount of panache Brown brings to the role. Additionally, it was pretty funny to see her occasionally break the fourth wall to address the audience on any comical situation she is about to experience, both good and bad. Brown is truly one of the most talented actresses of her generation, and both these two films and "Stranger Things" are clear proof of this.

It was also nice to see Henry Cavill play a more prominent role this time as the legendary Sherlock Holmes. In the previous film, he appeared to be more laid back than in other depictions of the character whereas here he seems to be taking things a lot more seriously than before. This time we actually get to see Sherlock do what he is best at, and that it is using his famous powers of deduction to help solve a mystery. Cavill holds his own alongside Brown but never so much that it feels like he is trying to upstage her. There is a believable brother-sister bond between the two of them, which made watching them work together a considerably more enjoyable experience.

Unfortunately, Sam Claflin is notably absent as Mycroft Holmes due to apparent scheduling conflicts. This is a huge shame because one of my favourite things about the original film was watching Sherlock and Mycroft's conflicting views on how they should be supporting their younger sister. Instead, Sherlock is all on his own without any explanation given as to why Mycroft suddenly isn't in the picture anymore. Sure, this did allow for more emotional scenes of Sherlock and Enola growing closer as siblings, but there should at least be some solid reasons provided as to how come Mycroft isn't here to offer his own opinions on what path Enola should be taking at this point in her life. No matter how hard I tried to blank him out, the film still felt like something was missing without Mycroft contributing something to the story. Hopefully Claflin will be able to reprise the role if a third film is ever green lit.

As a continuation of the original film, "Enola Holmes 2" succeeds in pretty much the same way, with its charming take on the title character by its lead star and good use of pacing to keep things moving along smoothly. There is definitely potential for this series to become a long-lasting film franchise, but that's only if the actors and filmmakers are able to maintain this streak for the length of time required for such a commitment. At the time of writing this, there is no confirmation of a third entry but considering how successful both of these films have been, I would be surprised if Netflix doesn't give the go ahead anytime soon. So long as the entire original cast return next time, especially Sam Claflin as Mycroft Holmes, then I am all for it.

I rate it 7/10.

It's elementary, my dear, Streamers. You knew from the second that Enola Holmes ended that there would be a sequel coming. Our plucky heroine would be roaming the streets of London searching for more crimes to solve and people to find. In Enola Holmes 2, Enola is back to solve mysteries and trying to one-up her older and vastly more famous brother, Sherlock. As these sequels go, however, it can all become a lot more of the same. Here's whether Enola is able to "out-Sherlock" Sherlock.

Enola Holmes 2 has an easy formula to follow. For everyone who saw the first film, you were already introduced to Enola, so you don't have to get the who Holmes family backstory again. This movie can move right into what is happening with Enola since the last caper ended. Here, she's about to close her fledgling private detective agency, when a young girl enlists Enola to find her missing sister. Eagerly, Enola takes on the case of these young women who work in a match factory, and she uncovers the disturbing truths along the way. Sherlock has a bit of a hand deducing in this mystery. Hijinks ensue.

Here's the thing: if you liked Enola Holmes, there's no reason you won't like Enola Holmes 2. Millie Bobby Brown has the same charm and plucky energy as Enola as she did in the first film. Henry Cavill returns as Sherlock, and even though he gets to participate in the crime solving, the focus remains on Enola and her fumbling towards a resolution. The movie is light and interesting. The case has enough twists and turns to sustain the runtime, but it is fairly obvious where the mystery is going early on. I will say that there was a point where I was exhausted by all of the running around and chasing the red herrings. If the characters weren't interesting and charming, I would have easily lost interest.

The main thing to know is that these Enola Holmes movies are really for your pre-teen/tween-age audience. They are fine for adults, but really, older people will get bored. Your 11-year-old niece will love this. She'll swoon at the burgeoning romance between Enola and her love interest. Your nephew will swoon over Enola and other castmates and wish they were Sherlock. All while being confused by the most obvious twists, turns, and clues. It's honestly a win-win situation.

Enola Holmes 2 is a cute teen movie overflowing with young women can do it power. This movie doesn't feel like it has as much energy as the first but it's still a quality movie. There is still charm throughout even though the mystery is a bit lacking. Grab a bowl of popcorn and the tween-age family member for a fun afternoon with the Holmes family.

I had fun with this movie, I liked it very much. I'd say much of the same commentary and critique I had for the first one applies to this one. It's a great cast-Millie Bobby Brown is infectiously likable as Enola Holmes, Helena Bonham Carter is especially well-cast as her mother, Louis Partridge is such a fun presence in each of his not-nearly-enough scenes, and I really enjoy the stylized way the titles are presented throughout the film and I personally find it fun the way MBB turns to the camera and addresses it like a British period mystery adaptation of Dora the Explorer. Honestly, as a mystery, I'd say this movie holds up far better than the first. Great twist villain I genuinely didn't see coming, and very fun to see Enola holding up just as well as a detective alongside her brother, Sherlock.

I think the one thing holding Enola Holmes 2 back from that next level for me is the very fact it's a sequel. Coming off the heels of the first film, which is a movie I loved and wanted to see how the world and stakes could be expanded... that first movie was a tough act to follow! Enola 2 was nonetheless a very good movie in its own right and another fun installment in a promising franchise. I'd love to see what could be done with a third film.

If you were a fan of the first, like I was, you should enjoy this second outing...

It doesn't try to outdo the first film or be too different... it's a natural continuation of the story. Millie Bobby-Brown and co deliver excellent comedic/action sequences with the mystery element still central to the plot.

Millie's acting chops should now see her take on some more challenging roles (like Florence Pugh). But for now these types of roles are right up her alley. The film has a great pace to it, and develops the characters well, including the new ones. The set design and costumes again bring an old London to life.

Remember, it's not an Oscar contending drama... It's a fun family friendly action/comedy... So enjoy it on that level.

About on par with the original, which I suppose is the minimum you want from a sequel.

I have similar thoughts about 'Enola Holmes 2' as I do for 'Enola Holmes'. Millie Bobby Brown is a strong lead, the support cast are good but the plot still isn't the most entertaining to watch unfold onscreen. I'm not sure it needed to be told over 2hrs, either.

Still, I got the required amount of entertainment from it. I appreciate the message and the story it tells, as well as them (seeming to, to me anyway) toning down the fourth-wall breaking - which is a tad overdone in the 2020 flick.

It seems likely that we'll be getting more of these, which I'm cool with - if the main cast remain, that is.