Enola Holmes 2 review: Is this Millie Bobby Brown thriller on Netflix worth your time?

Enola Holmes 2 premiered on Netflix on Friday, November 4, 2022, bringing back the familiar Millie Bobby Brown as the sister of Sherlock Holmes in another nail-biting period thriller.

After the humungous success of the first film, director Harry Bradbeer, writer Jack Thorne, and a majority of the crew returned for the sequel. This new detective thriller checked all the boxes of a quirky, humorous, and exciting film.

To answer the question of how worthy this new Netflix release is, it has successfully surpassed Enola Holmes, which was regarded as one of the best films released on streaming platforms.

The sequel has outdone the original in many distinct ways, including a greater emphasis on social commentary, more intriguing action sequences, and more well-rounded character development. Enola Holmes 2 could be one of the best films on Netflix this year.

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Enola Holmes 2 review: Clever writing meets perfectly balanced characters

Picking up from the previous film's ending, where Enola successfully managed to locate her eccentric, firecracker-loving mother (played by Helena Boham Carter), Enola has now decided to be a detective like her famous brother, Sherlock (played by Henry Cavill). Opening with a chase sequence followed by a fourth-wall-breaking revelation, the film gets into the tone quickly and manages to maintain it.

One of the more interesting things about the sequel is how well-matched the film's theme and Enola's character are. Enola has grown into a detective of her own. This character is dense, well-rounded, and far from just a miniature version of Sherlock. In fact, Enola is starkly different.

Enola Holmes 2, much like the tried and tested formula from its previous part, follows two cases: one headed by Enola, who is looking for a child's missing sister, and the other led by her famous brother, Sherlock, who is looking into some stolen government property.

The crust of the story seems simple but is an intricately woven web that comprises everything from politics to corruption. The case, which gym-going Sherlock follows, is also as interesting and well-written. Like the previous film, the two cases and the two detectives go hand-in-hand, often meeting along the way.

Cavill has more screen time to explore his Sherlock this time, and it helps a lot. Even if Cavill's Sherlock lacks the guile and conviction of Benedict Cumberbatch's interaction, it is still a worthy Sherlock.

Apart from the twisted case, which also draws in Lord Tewkesbury (played by Louis Partridge) this time, the inclusion of actual historical events is one touch that makes this film a lot better.

The case that Enola follows is that of Sarah Chapman's disappearance. Sarah Chapman is the historical figure behind the first women's factory strike in 1888. The way the writers successfully accumulated this in the plot is incredible.

Speaking about the writing, the pace was one of the most powerful devices in Enola Holmes 2. The beautifully curated revelations, the ever-interesting untangling of the mystery, and the breezy narrative made this two-hour plus film feel a lot shorter.

It was also aided by some immersive technical aspects, which comprised smooth camera work, excellent set and costume design, great performances from all the leads, and some brilliant sound composition.

All in all, Enola Holmes 2 is one of the rare films that not only breaks the sequel curse but outshines the original in many ways. It is a perfect weekend watch. The film is now streaming on Netflix.

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