THE STORY – Adventure chases detective Enola Holmes to Malta, where personal and professional dreams collide on a case more tangled and treacherous than any she has faced before.
THE CAST – Millie Bobby Brown, Helena Bonham Carter, Henry Cavill, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Himesh Patel & Louis Partridge
THE TEAM – Philip Barantini (Director) & Jack Thorne (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 107 Minutes
Once a studio has a massive hit on its hands, it just can’t stop churning out sequels. That’s certainly true of the Netflix original franchise “Enola Holmes,” which centers on the little sister of the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, as she solves her own mysteries across three films. Starring the streamer’s biggest star, Millie Bobby Brown, she brought charm to the spunky and bright young girl when she joined the series as a teenager. As she has matured in her personal life, so too has Enola’s story, as she comes face-to-face with uncomfortable truths about sexism and women’s rights in “Enola Holmes 2” and now contemplates marriage and what it means for her future in “Enola Holmes 3.” That, alongside one of her classic mysteries, would have been enough for this film, but “Adolescence” writer Jack Thorne adds one too many weighty topics to the screenplay, thus muddying the story. Then add a fast-paced, nauseating editing style (also from “Adolescence” director Philip Barantini), and this third installment is a less-than-satisfying (potential) conclusion.
If the attention-grabbing, speedy nature of social media videos has started infiltrating Hollywood, it’s most obvious in the first few minutes of “Enola Holmes 3.” Picking up about a year after “Enola Holmes 2,” it’s Enola’s wedding day to Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge). Still, she’s not quite ready to walk down the aisle and become a lady. If you don’t remember how she got to this point, don’t worry, because you’ll be inundated with flashbacks and an explainer of the franchise within seconds. And in case viewers are already distracted by their phones despite the over-the-top editing, they get an action sequence just a few beats later, featuring Enola being chased by a masked man who turns out to be Watson (Himesh Patel), which only fuels the brain rot so many are used to seeing online.
In line with the hot topics on social media today, Enola struggles with the realities of womanhood in her marriage to Tewkesbury. On the one hand, 1800s trad wifedom doesn’t suit our heroine, especially because she’d have to give up her last name and turn her back on her livelihood. On the other hand, she has a kind and rambunctious partner in Tewkesbury, whom Partridge continues to bring charmingly to life. To make matters worse, Tewkesbury’s family and friends are putting even more pressure on this couple, including pushing for the wedding in Malta, where his parents were wed, and taking unnecessary jabs at his bride just because she doesn’t come from a high-class background. With such an onslaught of “be submissive to your husband“ content, one can appreciate that this series always puts its heroine at the center of her own story, exploring the complex emotions she feels toward society and the pressures she faces as a young woman. In particular, Thorne has consistently given Brown material that matures with her, fostering a stronger kinship with this character, and it’s only allowed Brown to dive deeper with each installment.
Eventually, it leads to Enola’s big mystery: finding her famous brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill), who has been kidnapped. In flashbacks, we see the two working together on cases, with Enola delighted to be in her brother’s company and Sherlock, as always, a curmudgeon. Once again, Brown and Cavill are a wonderful pair onscreen, bringing the joys and frustrations of sibling relationships to the forefront of their performances. The relatable bonus here is when Enola announces her engagement, which brings out Sherlock’s protective, disapproving side that all brothers have toward their sisters.
As usual, Enola breaks the fourth wall with viewers, inviting us into her adventure and giving her a chance to show off her cheeky side. The mystery itself, however, isn’t always the most thrilling to watch. This film is plagued with so many flashbacks, often of scenes that we just saw or references to previous movies, that it’s sometimes hard to concentrate on the actual story at hand. The suspense also comes and goes, whether it’s due to the pacing or narrative choices that muddle the story. It’s not uncommon for the “Enola Holmes“ films to put a spotlight on real issues of the period (“Enola Holmes 2“ focused at length on workers’ rights). Here, there are side plots involving people’s desires to liberate Malta from British rule, the horrors of the First Anglo-Afghan War, a military cover-up with stolen items, and Tewkesbury’s complicated feelings toward his father. The topics themselves are fascinating, but there are far too many, and many are little explored. But if anything, all these extra plots give us more time with entertaining characters, such as Enola’s loony mother (Helena Bonham Carter), the thoughtful Watson, and the mischievous Mira Troy (Sharon Duncan-Brewster).
“Enola Holmes 3“ continues to expand on its heroine through reflective questions, making her an always relatable role model for young girls to look up to. Other parts of this story don’t work as well, like the fast-and-furious editing, which makes the film hard to watch at times, and an overstuffed screenplay that ultimately discombobulates the mystery at hand. But the “Enola Holmes“ series has always been highly energetic and stylish, and this film still has plenty of charm. So, for those who can look past the flaws, they’ll have another fun mystery to solve with their favorite detective.
