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I’ve always loved, along with a lot of people around the world, the mystery and detective genre of film and TV.
Knowing the Sherlock Holmes stories so well from countless previous films, TV shows, and books, I was interested in seeing this when it was first released.
This is, of course, its own story, unique and new. There are references to everything in the Holmes universe, as you could sort of call it, but it is very much its own story, which I thought was important; there are a lot of films and TV nowadays that try to do a lot of recreations and sequels to older or previous stories without coming up with an entirely new take or perspective on it.
Perspective was well done; one would say it was also the easy way out. The film is all from Enola’s point of view, and the story is incredibly easy to follow and understand because Enola speaks to the audience and looks at the camera, explaining the plot rather than the film, sort of naturally guiding the viewer down the narrative path. This technique does make it easier to depict and explain more complex ideas and themes, which is useful when you’re covering a mystery web with different clues; it’s also easier for a younger audience to consume.
One thing that sticks out to me is the vast range of audience this film is for; it’s very much a film for the whole family, unlike the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes films, which were a bit more dark, gritty and geared towards a more mature audience. The comedy was fun to watch, and these elements were masterfully done. It’s not very often that a film for the whole family has a well-done comedy that can appeal to a wide audience but also not be cringe-worthy.
A good example of other films that pull off this comical side to the film is the big blockbuster Marvel films.
Another thing the Marvel films and Enola Holmes have in common is the enormous success. Millie Bobby Brown even said she was surprised by the enormity of the success it had across the world to the masses. Millie was very well cast; I can’t picture anyone else in the role.
In recent years, there has seemed to be a lot of negative criticism around people rewriting, reinventing and remaking older stories in the new era and age. I, however, thoroughly enjoyed Enola Holmes (and 2), and that’s coming from a huge fan of Benedict Cumberbatch’s “Sherlock” as well as RDJ’s “Sherlock Holmes.”
I found the story of Enola Holmes nostalgic in many ways, but it was also refreshing to see this “Holmes” world from a new lens, perspective, and time.
