Review: Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

Following on from the success of 2020’s Enola Holmes, today sees the return of the teenage super-sleuth in the appropriately titled, Enola Holmes 2. The movie – which is available to stream on Netflix now – picks up shortly after the events of its predecessor, with Enola taking on a new case.

In the movie, Enola has set up a detective agency, with aspirations of solving various crimes. However, due to her young age, she struggles to obtain any clients and constantly finds herself standing in the shadow of her brother, Sherlock.

Just as she is about to call it a day, and fold her agency, Enola is approached by a girl in desperate need of help. Her sister, Sarah, has gone missing and she believes Enola is the only person who can find her.

Enola agrees to take on the case and soon goes undercover infiltrating a number of establishments, as she attempts to uncover Sarah’s whereabouts. But as she delves deeper into the mystery, she finds herself accused of murder, and gaining new enemies.

Directed by Harry Bradbeer, Enola Holmes 2 stars Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Louis Partridge, David Thewlis, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Helena Bonham Carter. The movie is a comedic mystery picture, once again based on the Enola Holmes books by Nancy Springer, and is as much fun as the first Enola Holmes picture, if not better.

Building out from what came before, the movie gets off to a speedy start with Enola heavily involved in her new case, without the need for endless set-up. From here the film moves along at a cracking pace, as the junior detective uses her quick wit and even quicker powers of deduction, to uncover clues and interrogate suspects.

Jokes fly thick and fast, action scenes are chucked in with increasingly regularity, and the mystery unravels with a few surprises and plenty of familiar faces. This film brings back everything that worked the first time around, makes it a little bigger, adds a touch more depth to the characters and story, and has a great deal of fun along the way.

For this second helping of Enola magic, almost all of the main players from the previous film return, with Millie Bobby Brown once again on fine form in the lead role. Brown was one of the highlights of Part One, and the same can be said for this latest instalment.

The actress plays the role with charm and humility, creating a down-to-Earth character, who can still boast the magnificent intellect and slight emotional distance of a Holmes. Her asides to the camera, where Enola breaks the fourth wall, remain delightful and humorous, and she lights up the screen throughout.

Joining Brown, with a more expanded role this time around is Henry Cavill, who gets to flesh out the part of Sherlock Holmes, while Helena Bonham Carter is back stealing scenes as their explosive-obsessed mother. Her scenes are all-too brief (the only misstep in the film), but she makes the most of every moment she gets.

The only major actor not to return for this sequel is Sam Claflin, who played Mycroft Holmes in the first film; but his absence is purely down to a scheduling conflict. However, the door is kept wide open for his character, should the actor be able to return for future movies, so let’s just imagine Mycroft is off doing something else while this new mystery unfolds.

If you enjoyed or adored the first Enola Holmes, then you will be more than happy with this new offering. It is a confident picture, which leans further into the Holmes mythology (which should appeal to long-time fans), and is a rip-roarin’ adventure.

Watch this film over the weekend, or save it up for when you need a movie the whole family can enjoy. Enola Holmes 2 is a hoot-and-a-half, and based on the strength of this picture, I’d happily come back for another helping!

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