I’ve been a huge fan of Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” canon ever since I saw Guy Ritchie’s take on Baker Street. When I discovered that an adaptation of Nancy Springer’s “Enola Holmes” novels was on the way featuring the likes of Superman himself Henry Cavill and Millie Bobbie Brown in the title role, I was intrigued and couldn’t wait to see a new take on one of the most filmed characters in cinematic history. So how did Brown do in this new take? Let’s find out.
Enola Holmes centers on the sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes as she attempts to find her mother, who has mysteriously disappeared. Along the way, Enola must stay one step ahead of her famous brother while also trying to help a young lord who is essential to an important vote regarding a reform bill.
There’s no denying that Enola Holmes is aimed at a certain demographic, specifically the Young Adult crowd. As such, the film isn’t necessarily going to be for everyone. That being said, there’s a lot of things in Enola Holmes that are going to be of interest to long-time Holmes fans who are looking for a new take on the series. A typical Holmes adaptation usually revolves around Holmes and Watson on the case throughout London as Watson narrates his peculiar friend’s exploits. In Enola Holmes, we get to see the city and Sherlock himself from a different vantage point, allowing for what could be a new gateway for young fans to get into the Holmesian mythology. Also, there’s a bit of social commentary involving what it was like for women at that point. While I usually try to avoid these kinds of things in films as it tends to come off a bit heavy-handed, I was pleasantly surprised by how it was executed. None of this would work were it not for a standout performance from Millie Bobby Brown.
When I heard that Brown was not only going to be starring in this film but also serve as a producer I was really happy. She was a standout in Stranger Things and I was excited to see her take the next step in her career both in front of and behind the camera. I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed as she imbued Enola Holmes with a sense of courage and even whimsy and her moments of breaking the fourth wall oddly make the character even more endearing. Save for Deadpool, this device often comes off as hokey and takes me out of whatever I’m watching (i.e. Lazenby’s Bond) but thanks in large part to Brown’s delivery, so long as it isn’t overused, I hope it becomes a staple of the franchise should we get a sequel.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk a bit about Henry Cavill’s take on Sherlock Holmes. There’s always been something fitting about Cavill playing the iconic detective. Frankly, the role fits him like a glove, and to me brings a sense of verisimilitude to the role. While this may be a controversial statement, I believe Enola Holmes added a new element to the character which is a credit to Cavill and Brown’s chemistry. They aren’t on screen together a lot, but Brown and Cavill make the most of their moments on screen. While the performances were great, the story was a bit uneven at times.
Jack Thorne is a writer I’ve been following since his work on Harry Potter and the cursed child of pop-culture with which I hadn’t been thrilled to see; his work on The Rise of Skywalker did little to improve my opinion of him. Enola Holmes was the first time that I found his work to be pretty good. While the ending was a bit anticlimactic, Thorne crafts a fun new entry in the Holmes cinematic canon. Director Harry Bradbeer does an outstanding job of capturing the period and made me anticipate following Enola around London for many films to come. Special mention must also go to Composer Daniel Pemberton. I’ve been following Pemberton’s work since The Man From U.N.C.L.E and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Whenever Pemberton’s involved, you can always expect the score to add an ambiance to the narrative that ratchets up the tension on the screen. There was little deviation from that in Enola Holmes, though it did feel a bit more understated here that to me worked with the narrative.
Overall, Enola Holmes is a fine franchise starter. Despite a bit of an uneven story, with great performances by Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill, along with great direction and score, this is a great entry in Holmes cinematic canon. I hope we get to see more from this franchise. With any luck, a whole new generation will discover Arthur Conan Doyle’s 60-story canon through this fresh take.
Enola Holmes proves that with the right vision, there are always new ways to see well-troughed narratives.
