One of Netflix’s most enduring franchises, Enola Holmes began life at Warner Bros., one of many theatrical projects unloaded to streamers during the pandemic. It was a perfect marriage at the perfect moment, as star Millie Bobby Brown was just finding her footing in Stranger Things, Netflix’s most popular show. It also arrived at a time when mysteries, especially adaptations of classic whodunnits, were having a moment. The film gave younger audiences a fearless protagonist with wit and energy to spare, enough action to appeal to male and female viewers, and the scope to feel like a major studio production. The sequel accomplished the same to a lesser degree, and such is the case with Enola Holmes 3, which only mixes up the well-worn formula a little by adding a few more romantic entanglements.
Franchise writer Jack Thorne returns, joined by his Adolescence director Philip Barantini. Perhaps it’s Barantini’s TV experience, but this Enola Holmes adventure is less dynamic, less exciting. Brown returns as Enola Holmes, the younger and equally brilliant sister to Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill), and this time she’s facing the biggest mystery of her life: should she marry her Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) or not? The luxurious wedding is already set to take place on the island of Malta, but Enola is experiencing some cold feet. She arrives in time, only to discover that Sherlock has been kidnapped, along with her future mother-in-law.
If Enola had a deerstalker hat like her bro, this is when she’d put it on.
The Enola Holmes films have always felt a bit richer than most YA adaptations. They seamlessly tackle feminism, bigotry, sexism, and the Britain’s sordid history as colonizers. The people of Malta don’t necessarily take well to the power held by the Tewkesbury family as part of the House of Lords, and a rebellion is beginning to gain steam. Sherlock’s last words to Enola prior to his disappearance were dismay that she’d give up her independence just to be someone’s wife. Naturally, he sees her as his equal, and doesn’t want to see her held back by the male-dominated power structure she would be marrying into. These are ideas that Thorne glances upon but never fully commits to, which is disappointing and a step down from previous installments.
As for the mystery itself, it doesn’t actually amount to much, either. Helena Bonham Carter makes a welcome return as Enola and Sherlock’s vigilante mom, Eudoria, acting as squirrelly as ever. The entire Holmes family have hang-ups about marriage, and Enola has to reconcile her own feelings based on that. We also see the return of Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Sherlock’s nemesis, Moriarty, but her motivations here are shockingly small-minded and lacking in the kind of craft we’d expect from the evil mastermind.
The glue holding Enola Holmes 3 together is Brown, who is so charming and wise. She makes breaking the fourth wall look like a breeze, when really, it can be extremely aggravating when done too often or with the wrong demeanor. Enola is a difficult role to play, especially as Brown has gotten older. The character needs to fit in a space where she’s appealing to kids, but not so childish that it undercuts the adult problems she has to contend with.
I don’t know if there will be another Enola Holmes movie, but the freshness of the original is gone and it really does feel like the only thing left to do is have Enola solve cases in different countries, or face more matters of the heart. And if that’s all they can find to do now with such a great character who has added to the Holmes legacy, perhaps it’s time to hang up the magnifying glass for good.
Enola Holmes 3 is streaming now on Netflix.
