Review - Enola Holmes (2020)

     Hey guys, Chuck here. One of the many casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic has been new theatrical releases. And while we still have a handful of movies still set for release in theaters over the next few months, like Death on the Nile, Dune, No Time to Die, and Wonder Woman 1984, a large chunk of theatrical releases have been either delayed until next year, or got switched to release on a streaming platform. Which brings us to today's review of Netflix's newest feature film: Enola Holmes. Based on a series of books called The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer, this movie was set to release theatrically, courtesy of Warner Bros. However, due to theaters shutting down due to COVID-19, Legendary Pictures moved distribution to Netflix. But, was this decision for the best? Let's find out as we take a look at Enola Holmes.   

    So the main focus of this movie is Enola, played by Millie Bobby Brown, who lives in the countryside with her mother Eudoria, played by Helena Bonham Carter. One morning, however, Enola learns that her mother has disappeared. Enola heads to the nearby train station, where she meets her older brothers Mycroft, played by Sam Claflin, and Sherlock, played by Henry Cavill. While Sherlock is more supportive of his little sister, Mycroft wants to send her to a finishing school to become a proper young lady in Victorian society. Enola, however, heads off on her own to find her mother, and it's on this journey that she becomes entangled in a mystery surrounding a young man on the run. This is the Viscount Lord Tewksbury, played by Louis Partridge, who is set to take the seat of his late father on the House of Lords. So, does Enola help him take his rightful place in the House of Lords, getting her that much closer to finding her mother? Well, you'll have to hop onto Netflix and check the movie out for yourself to find out. 

    Admittedly, I wasn't quite one hundred percent sold on this movie when I had heard about it. The only thing that interested me was the cast. Millie Bobby Brown, who has become increasingly popular thanks to her breakout role as Eleven on the Netflix series Stranger Things, was very good in the role of Enola, and she has definitely grown as a young actress over the years since Stranger Things took the world by storm just four years ago. Sam Claflin, who I've enjoyed in films like The Hunger Games series, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and so on, was a bit too stiff as Mycroft. However, that's kind of the point, as Mycroft is supposed to be the least eccentric of the Holmes siblings, and Claflin plays that up quite a bit. Helena Bonham Carter, for what limited screen time she got, was a good choice for the Holmes matriarch Eudoria, and her performance was absolutely second to none. The supporting cast, which includes the likes of Fiona Shaw, Burn Gorman, Frances De La Tour, and so on, all filled their roles fine, and were fun to watch. However, the best actor in this movie, aside from Millie Bobby Brown, woul be Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes. As much as I enjoy both Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. in their versions of the character, I feel like Henry Cavill is more faithful to the character of Sherlock Holmes than those other two. Director Harry Bradbeer did a remarkable job in recreating Victorian London in the film, and the tone of the story definitely felt like a Holmes mystery brought to life. One thing that I will say about Enola Holmes is that it's definitely a Holmes story that kids can enjoy and not get lost trying to watch. However, I do feel that the story probably lends itself better to a multi-episode series rather than a full-length movie. Now, do I want to see more adventures with Millie Bobby Brown as Enola? Yes, but maybe as a Netflix series as opposed to another movie. I'm giving Enola Holmes a rating of 4.75/5. Hop onto Netflix and give it a watch. This is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time.