The rambunctious energy of Guy Ritchie’s slick, brassy Sherlock Holmes universe might have divided critics and repelled purists but it overwhelmingly charmed audiences, the two films racking up over $1bn worldwide. With a third still up in the air, and likely never to come down to earth, Netflix has niftily managed to scratch a similar itch with its Enola Holmes franchise, another cheekily smashed together platter of quick-thinking mystery-solving and slow-motion high-kicking. If anything, even without the star appeal and more experienced director at the helm, this sort of divisively exhausting vim works better here, with a younger audience in mind, also aided by a more notable separation from the beloved source material.
The first film was a pandemic pick-up from Warner Bros (hence it looking more like, you know, a real movie) and scored huge numbers for the streamer, capitalising on the popularity of its in-house young star, Stranger Things breakout Millie Bobby Brown. Based on the popular YA series by Nancy Springer, it was very much your teenage sister’s Sherlock Holmes but was sprightly enough for those outside the target demographic to understand the appeal. There’s more of the same in Enola Holmes 2, an equally boisterous romp that’s equally as hard to remember once it’s over but one that should keep its many fans engaged enough to warrant further sequels.
