'Enola Holmes' Review: A Fresh, Pop-Feminist Spin on the Beloved “Holmes” Mythos
Millie Bobby Brown shines in “"Enola Holmes”, marking her first lead role in a Feature Film after her 2016 debut on Netflix’s “Stranger Things.”
Based on the Novel “Enola Holmes” by Nancy Springer, the movie centers around the infamous Sherlock Holmes’ sister, Enola, and captures the energy and spunk of a young teenager setting out on a new adventure. Millie Bobby Brown stars and serves as a Producer in the latest Netflix feature.
The story is mostly narrated by Enola as she sets the stage at the beginning of the movie. Actually, most of the movie is told by Brown looking towards the camera, giving audiences a peek into her inner thoughts through a long-drawn monologue. Brown grabs audiences right off the start, describing her relation to her other family members and most especially, her connection with her mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), who goes missing right at the start of the film. We find that Enola spends most of her time with her mother, avoiding lady-like activities such as practicing Jiu Jitsu, archery and boxing to pass the time with her mother.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
As her brothers, Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin), return to their childhood home to investigate the disappearance of Eudoria, they begin plotting to send Enola away to a proper finishing school based on her haphazard appearance and inability to conform to the notion of woman in that time period. Unable and unwilling to adapt, Enola outsmarts her older brothers, abandoning her family home in the middle of the night, setting out on a new adventure to find her missing mother.
Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin star as Enola’s brother’s Sherlock and Mycroft.
During her sudden departure, Enola encounters the young Viscount Tewkwesbury Marquess of Basilwether (relative newcomer, Louis Partridge), a rotten mouthful of a name, on the run from his family. As their paths intertwine in a harrowing escape from a train, Enola recognizes the same the same plight in her peer as she feels herself. Although they part ways in London, Enola breaks course, vowing to find the missing Duke on her quest to locate her mother in bustling 1800s London. As you can expect with any movie starring young teenager lead, the romantic threads are immediately woven into Enola and the Viscount’s interactions. The romantic nature of the relationship should not be a surprise to viewers, considering the film has followed every other YA Film tropes up to this point.
Somewhere in the middle of the story, we see the plot change course. Giving up, temporarily, on finding her mother, Enola begins investigating the mysterious Viscount Tewkwesbury who is clearly on the run from his family, although the motives behind his wanted capture take on a more sinister nature. As Enola becomes wrapped up in tracking down the elusive Viscount, she discovers that not only is his family seeking a reward for his discovery, but that others are seeking a reward for his death. A conjecture that she came to understand more quickly than her brother, Sherlock, also investigating the popular case.
Through Enola’s investigation, we find that there is a very important election on the horizon that will change the course of London politics if the Reform Bill is passed. As the vote comes to a halt, we discover that the young Viscount’s vote is essential to the Bill’s passing and the bounty on his head is in place to prevent him from voting in the historic case.
Although the movie takes place in 19th Century England, the modern story-telling gives audiences a new, fresh perspective on the teenage heroine. Instead of idolizing her big brother, the notorious and infamous, Sherlock Holmes, we find Enola out-smarting her sibling, consistently remaining one-step ahead from the genius Detective. We only see small glances and moments of Sherlock and Mycroft within the story, but the moments where we do see them, their iterations of the character seem out of place from the more common depictions that we have seen.
Enola Holmes (Mille Bobby Brown) and Viscount Tewkwesbury Marquess of Basilwether (Louis Partridge).
While literature and previous adaptations of the British mastermind portray the character with a cool and quick personality, Cavill portrays a softer, sweeter Sherlock more concerned with his sister’s whereabouts and well-being than his brother, Mycroft. Also, it is obvious that other Sherlock’s did not bench press 200 pounds prior to suiting up. The Sherlock that we encounter in “Enola Holmes” seems bored and out of touch with detective work, however, his fuel and passion seems to be re-ignited as he searches for his missing sister.
The step forward for Brown in the leading role seems obvious and, to be honest, way overdue. With the popularity and audience following of “Stranger Things” her debut seemed inevitable. During the past few years, Brown has taken various, but smaller, acting roles in television series. While she has made a film appearance before in 2019’s “Godzilla: God of Monsters,” the spotlight shines clearly on Brown in “Enola Holmes” and prepares audiences alike for new ventures from Brown in the movie industry moving forward.
The Book is part of a series that is clearly set up at the end of the movie. Based on the success of “Enola Holmes,” we shouldn’t be surprised if Netflix green-lights more adaptations in the future.