Re-reading my review of Harry Bradbeer’s surprisingly entertaining Enola Holmes from back in January 2021, I seem to have found myself in something of a time-loop… 

“I don’t really buy into the whole ‘New Year, New Me’ mentality but as January rolled around it seemed as though my desire to watch new content came back, along with my motivation for writing.” 

Blog-wise, my 2021 was amazing. I was writing consistently, posting regularly and I absolutely smashed my viewing targets. 2022, on the other hand, has been something of a motivational black hole but here I am hoping that the return of Millie Bobby Brown’s spunky, forth-wall-breaking Enola will kick start my brain and gets me back on the blogging train once again. 

With Bradbeer returning to the director’s chair, Enola Holmes 2 jumps straight into the thick of it as two policemen chase Enola through the streets of Victorian London and into a dead-end alley, setting the scene perfectly for a dastardly escape or tightly choreographed fight sequence but, staying true to the conversationalist style that made the first film so engaging, Enola turns to face the camera and says to her audience “perhaps I should explain.” 

After solving her first case, Enola opens up her own detective agency but any potential clients see her as too young, too inexperienced or they simply mistake her as the receptionist – in a montage that reinforces that independent feminist spirit of the franchise without forcing it down your throat – causing the entrepreneurial dream to quickly be cut short, that is, until a young match girl comes in with a case to find her missing sister, Sarah Chapman. 

As she tried to tell a prospective client, Enola’s age is an advantage and allows her to go undercover at the match factory where Sarah worked before she disappeared. Demonstrating the same tenacity, fearlessness and compassion she had during her first case, Enola dives headfirst into a new mystery that turns out to be connected to a case that her brother is working on. But Enola’s independent spirit and need to step out from her brothers’ ever present shadow could be her undoing here, unless she learns to accept, and ask for, help. 

This film is one of those seemingly rare examples where the sequel is almost as good as the original; delightfully charming and well-paced with a witty script. Although there are still several stories still available in Nancy Springer’s source material, the decision to base the story around a real-life historical moment was a small stroke of ingenuity that works perfectly with the feminist narrative that Bradbeer, Brown and script writer, Jack Thorne, are trying to weave.  

Sam Clafin is my own personal brand of catnip.

Although the film works overall, there is an element of predictability throughout the story – any avid moviegoer or wannabe detective would probably be able to piece together the clues quite easily – and there were certain character reveals ( I won’t go into specifics for risk of spoilers) that were set up excellently but didn’t quite hit the mark for me personally however the fun, easy-going style of the film as a whole kept me on the right side of entertained. 

The supporting cast continues to be strong including Louis Partridge returning as sweet yet sincere Lord Tewkesbury, Adeel Akhtar reprising his role as bumbling Inspector Lestrade (a personal favourite character of mine) as well as the introduction of the great David Thewlis.  

The Holmes legacy remains strong thanks to witty, charming and enthusiastic performances from Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter all reprising their roles as Enola, Sherlock and Eudoria respectively but it is also here that I have my two biggest gripes with the film… 

First off, where the hell was Sam Clafin?!?!  

So I know that IMDB states that he was unable to return to his role as Enola’s condescending and somewhat twatty other brother Mycroft due to scheduling conflicts but considering Sam Clafin as an aristocratic villain seems to be my own personal brand of catnip, I was incredibly disappointed not to see him grace my screen. 

Secondly, Henry Cavill kind of stole the show or, to be more accurate, Sherlock Holmes stole the show. Now don’t get me wrong, Henry Cavill did a great job as Henry Cavill always does, in fact I felt he brought more to the character here than he did the first time round. My issue is more in the fact that Enola Holmes 2 was this close *pinches thumb and finger together* to becoming a Sherlock Holmes story, with Enola almost relegated to a supporting character. If we get a third installment, the writers need to remember who the star of the show should be before the franchise evolves into another Sherlock adaptation. 

Enola Holmes 2 is currently available to stream on Netflix