Enola Holmes 3, now streaming on Netflix, marks the return of Millie Bobby Brown as the spirited detective, along with the creative team behind the hit series Adolescence. However, the threequel struggles to recapture the magic of the earlier films, offering a safe but ultimately underwhelming entry in the franchise.
Netflix's Franchise Challenges
Netflix has long sought to establish original movie franchises, a staple of traditional Hollywood studios. While the platform excels in dating shows, true crime, and romcoms, it has struggled to turn big-budget bets into lasting cultural events. Films like Red Notice and The Grey Man attracted viewers but lacked the long-term interest needed for sequels, while The Electric State, Netflix's most expensive film, disappointed both audiences and critics. The success of KPop Demon Hunters last year was a notable exception, though its phenomenon status felt somewhat accidental.
Enola Holmes originally began at Warner Bros. before being sold to Netflix during the pandemic, similar to the Fear Street trilogy. Netflix has been a steady home for the franchise, with the second film arguably improving on the first. Now, the third installment follows the same formula with returning talent, but the journey is already growing tiresome.
A Premature Exhaustion
The first two films succeeded with a mix of sprightly energy, engaging mysteries, and thoughtful history lessons for younger audiences. Enola Holmes 3 offers intermittent flashes of these elements but not enough to make the film glide. The sequel feels prematurely exhausted, a safely passable franchise entry that lacks the spark of its predecessors.
Playwright Jack Thorne returns as screenwriter, fresh from his success with Adolescence, and brings director Philip Barantini along. However, Barantini proves to be a safe but anonymous director, failing to inject the same verve as Harry Bradbeer, who directed the first two films. Fans hoping for a single-take sequence or a deep dive into toxic masculinity will be disappointed.
Plot and Themes
The story follows Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) as she prepares to marry her beau, Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), on the island of Malta. The wedding is disrupted when her brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill, in a glorified cameo) is kidnapped, prompting Enola to investigate. Thorne again weaves in relevant issues, such as the restrictive nature of marriage for women and Britain's colonial history in Malta, providing substance for a YA adventure. However, these themes are not seamlessly integrated into the plot, and the mystery itself is plodding and overly simple.
The film features returning cast members Helena Bonham Carter as Enola's mother and Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Moriarty, but the weight rests on Brown's shoulders. The star, like many maturing child actors, struggles to find the right balance in her performance, making the breezy character seem like hard work.
A Short but Lacking Sequel
At under 100 minutes, Enola Holmes 3 is shorter than its predecessors, which both exceeded two hours. However, this brevity feels more like a lack of new ideas and enthusiasm than a creative choice. The film's "what if goes on vacation" setup makes it feel like franchise filler, with the promise of more weighty stakes in future installments. For now, Netflix might be wise to let the series rest.
Enola Holmes 3 is available on Netflix now.
