“Enola Holmes 2″ returns in an improved sequel | Review

The story of “Enola Holmes”, the film, is a story of overcoming similar to the one that its eponymous protagonist – played by Millie Bobby Brown– experience throughout your adventure. Abandoned from theaters due to the pandemic, the film found its new home on Netflix, where she experienced an unexpected triumph by bringing us an entertaining mystery involving a leading feminist about finding our own path. Now the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes (again henry cavill) returns with a new case that, in large part, surpasses the original tape.

“Enola Holmes 2″ leaves us not long after the last adventure of its heroine, who has found her calling as a private investigator who hopes to join the pantheon of great detectives to which Sherlock also belongs. However, her dream has collided with a sad reality, the fact that no one wants to hire a young woman for her case, least of all in Victorian London.

About to give up, Enola is hired by a girl named Bessie (Serrana Su-Ling Bliss) to find Sarah, her missing sister, a case that will lead her to become involved with the underworld of England, including the exploitation of the most vulnerable, in a mystery that has even perplexed his famous brother.

It should be noted that we should not expect a complex mystery from “Enola Holmes 2″ since it is, after all, a film directed for a young audience, but the film contains some twists that may delight its audience. What the film does give us is an entertaining and eclectic action-packed adventure in which most of the attractions of the original film are polished and increased, in particular the fascinating relationship between Enola and Sherlock, which now takes a more central role. .

In that regard, Millie Bobby Brown remains almost magnetically charming as the young detective, balancing aspects like her competence, keen intellect, and fighting ability with her vulnerability and social awkwardness. Meanwhile, the frequent interactions between Enola and her brother Sherlock allow Henry Cavill to bring out a new side of the famous detective, humanizing in a new way a character known primarily for being driven by logic.

They’re not the only actors to stand out, with Louis Patridge returning to his roles as Tewkesbury, Enola’s love interest and now a member of the House of Lords, with competition. Equally skilled in their roles were Helena Bonham Carter and Susan Wokoma, respectively as Eudoria Holmes and Edith, who return briefly for some of the film’s most exciting sequences. Another standout is David Thewlis, who manages to walk the fine line between fascinating and disgusting in the antagonistic role of the vile Superintendent Grail. There are other interpretations that are also praiseworthy, but mentioning them in detail would run the risk of anticipating details of the film.

We cannot fail to point out the historical fact that is at the narrative center of “Enola Holmes 2″, which is the matchmakers’ strike of 1888, a historical event driven primarily by women that marked a milestone in terms of workers’ rights. The film shows a highly fictionalized and simplified version of the event, separated from the background and multiple people who made the strike possible, but it does not only show the power of cooperation, a central theme in this adventure.

“Enola Holmes 2” is not without its flaws, with scenes from the film, particularly in the second half of the film, stretching out longer than necessary. But the film maintains a good direction that makes it an improved sequel to the first that both fans of “Enola Holmes” and the mysteries are more than invited to see.

Qualification

4 out of 5 stars