Just because we will not be having any more SAB Lost Films this semester does not mean we still cannot have reviews on the Pulse. This week, we’re going to be looking at the Netflix original film, Enola Holmes.
Enola Holmes takes a completely new spin on the world’s most famous detective by telling the story of his sister Enola. Enola, played by Millie Bobbie Brown is significantly younger than her brothers Sherlock, (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Clafin) but she seems to have the same smarts and wit about her.
In this adaptation, Enola is concerned about the sudden disappearance of her mother, Eudoria Holmes (Helena Bonham Carter). Enola, despite the will of stuck-up Mycroft, sets out on a quest to find her mother and prove herself as a capable detective.
Along the way, Enola runs into a rich young boy by the name of Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge). Tewkesbury and Enola, after spending some time apart, eventually re-connect to help each other out on their own unique journeys. All the while, the two have to avoid getting caught by Mycroft, and a mysterious hitman who was hired to take out Tewkesbury before he arrives in London.
This was quite a different take on the Holmes universe. I really enjoyed watching Millie Bobby Brown step into this role, as I thought she really did a terrific job with an otherwise underwhelming script and plot. The story, while not predictable, seemed to really drag in certain moments, and the whole “breaking the fourth wall” aspect lost its charm by the end.
Overall, my biggest complaint with the film is in its Sherlock. While Cavill is not in the movie all that often, whenever he is, he never really seems like Sherlock Holmes to me. The world’s greatest detective is supposed to be cold and sarcastic, not a sweet big brother figure. I understand what the filmmakers were going for here, but for me it just does not work. That being said, I still think Cavill did a decent job with the script he was ultimately given.
Enola Holmes is a fun movie to sit and watch if you have a free two hours, however I would not necessarily recommend setting time aside for it.
Enola Holmes gets 2.5 stars out of 5.