The world of Sherlock Holmes was made so much brighter for young fans with Netflix’s first Enola Holmes movie. For those of us who grew up loving Sherlock and his odd detective skills, seeing an addition to the lore with the younger sister of Mycroft and Sherlock was an appealing new addition to the legacy, and one that made me excited for the world of Holmes as a whole.
Now, as Millie Bobby Brown returns to the role of Enola Holmes for the sequel, we’re seeing the aftermath of her first case and the struggle she faces to leave the shadow of her brother, and boy oh boy does it make for a relatable journey for little sisters everywhere.
Enola Holmes 2 brings us back to London after Enola has solved her first case and proven that her brother wasn’t the only one in the family who could be a detective. Now, the game is afoot once more, but Enola finds herself not only working day and night to figure it out, but the case in question also connects to her brother’s.
Enola Holmes 2 feels like a Holmes story
The first movie was establishing a lot of difference between the stories we’ve come to know, along with the inclusion of Enola. But Enola Holmes 2 does a pretty great job of bringing aspects of Sherlock’s characterization into the world of his sister to make her story feel like it belongs in the universe that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle built.
While the movie is very much Enola’s, we get to see a bit more of Sherlock in this one that brings us clever nods to him and the character we’ve come to love throughout the years. The way the film is set up just feels like a perfect addition to all of the previous Sherlock Holmes films we’ve seen before, but is still so completely different and fresh in a way that I think will have audiences falling in love with Enola even more.
Little sisters can be just as strong as their brothers
Maybe it is because I am a little sister with the same interests as my older brother (the middle brother, so I really am the Enola of my family), but watching Enola figure out her own life and place in the world of detectives, against that of her brother, was something that I really enjoyed seeing.
The world around her hears the name “Holmes” and instantly thinks of Sherlock. Everyone pushes her aside because she’s not her brother, and while it would have been easy for Enola to have her “powerful” moment by pushing aside her brother, she doesn’t. She cares for him and has to work with him, and does it because it isn’t his fault that people refuse to see her power without including Sherlock in it.
This is Enola’s story
The problem with adding characters to these existing worlds is that, at times, it can feel like it’s fighting an uphill battle against those who say it’s pandering, that it doesn’t work because it doesn’t focus on the man. It’s frustrating, but what I loved about Enola Holmes 2 more than the first is that we’ve moved on from the how or why we’re getting this story, and instead, we’re focusing on the brilliance that Enola has over her siblings.
Being a little sister isn’t easy, and I love that this movie focuses on her struggle with that while still making sure this is her mystery to solve. She never has to rely on Sherlock to save her. When things get dire, she finds her way out from lessons she learned from their mother, and she uses all of her own strength and the lack of people believing in her to her advantage.
And she’s such a fun character to go on this journey with—not afraid of yelling at her brothers, making her own name outside of their “legacy,” and she’s willing to do what it takes to bring truth and justice to those who are trying to do harm to others.
It’s a fun twisting ride
Like any Holmes story, there are elements that feel obvious to us and others that come as a shock to us all. And that’s a testament to how well Jack Thorne (and the source material by Nancy Springer) work in Harry Bradbeer’s film. Making a story about any Holmes isn’t easy. There’s an element of surprise and whimsy that pushes a Sherlock Holmes mystery forward, and there is something so wonderful and fresh about Enola Holmes 2 that I just genuinely love very much.
I hope we have plenty more adventures with Millie Bobby Brown’s Enola, and if it continues to give me Henry Cavill’s fascinating take on Sherlock Holmes? Then we’re all that much better for it.
Enola Holmes 2 hits Netflix on November 4.
(featured image: Netflix)
