Review: The Film. Enola Holmes 2…

There’s a common misconception about Young Adult, or YA, novels, mostly that they’re written exclusively for teenagers. While that might be the intended audience, the themes and events can be very mature, featuring elements like murder, sex, and drug abuse. The only constant and required factor about this genre is that the protagonists are all young adults. So adults too can have at. I know I do at times. 

Enola Holmes 2, a film inspired by the source novels—the first film is a direct adaptation of the first novel in the series—proves this concept quite nicely. The film is mostly based on the actual Matchgirls Strike that took place in 1888, in London, England, where approximately 1,400 women employees staged a walkout to protest against harsh wage cuts and unsafe working conditions at the Bryant & May match factory. And they were victorious, creating a watershed moment for female workers and women in general. 

Struggling to start her own detective business—she is a teenage girl in Victorian England—Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things), takes the case of a missing matchstick girl, Sarah Chapman (Hanna Dood, Bridgerton), who is an actual historical labor leader who spearheaded the Matchgirls Strike. After investigating the disappearance and getting arrested for her troubles, she soon finds that her older brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill, Man of Steel), is on a case that may be directly related to the missing woman. 

The supporting cast is filled with talented, charismatic actors. Louis Partridge (House of Guinness) plays Tewkesbury, a young lord with contacts who is quite smitten with Enola. Helena Bonham-Carter (Les Misérables) steals her scenes as Eudoria Holmes, the young detective’s resourceful yet quite off-center mother. David Thewliss (The Big Lebowski) adds menace and authority as the police chief, while Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Ballerina) plays a clerk who is much more than she seems—hint: her character’s name is an anagram for Sherlock’s mortal enemy.  

The film also sets up many other aspects of the Sherlock Holmes Victorian Universe. Here, we are introduced to Scotland Yard Inspector LeStrade (Adeel Akhtar, The Big Stick) and Dr. John  Watson (Himesh Patel, Tenet). We have yet to see Holmes’ stalwart housekeeper and landlord, Mrs. Hudson, but I’m sure the third installment, which is due next month, will take care of that. 

The film’s pacing feels uneven, much like a "slow-burn" during the first act, which then shifts to a frenzied and fast-paced second act where the action and mystery plotlines are hastily wrapped up. This didn’t bother me at all. It gives viewers time to get to know Enola, especially if they did not see the first installment. 

Since I’ve already seen the first Enola Holmes movie—way before I started this blog—I’ve decided to view the second one and review it. I will go back to the first film sometime soon, and review that, possibly before I see the third. 

I highly recommend this movie for fans of action, mystery, and young adult protagonists.