enola Holmes

     In the first novel to feature Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet, the famous detective said, “There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before.”  This quote from 1887 (and even centuries before, since it originated from the book of Ecclesiastes) pretty much sums up every movie and TV show, and ironically enough, every retelling of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  Netflix, though, has at least tried to shake things up a bit in the latest movie about the detective, and this time the story is about his sister, Enola.
    The story is about Enola trying to find her missing mother but unraveling a conspiracy in the process.  All the while, she’s being told to stop because she’s just a little girl, but being the sister of Sherlock means she probably has undying determination to solve whatever problem is in front of her.  Sure enough, she does, and against the wishes of everyone around her including her brother, she sets off.  Along the way, she meets a runaway boy, and the pair have to work together to solve the mystery and outrun anyone trying to get in their way, including some bad guys.  To be honest, I found this story rather forgettable, but it was enjoyable.  It has an old-school child adventure feel, akin to The Goonies, The Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew.  I remember reading The Hardy Boys, but I don’t remember the adventures.  To me, that’s ok.  It is perfectly fine for a film like Enola Holmes to be a cutesy mystery adventure with no lasting impact, because this could be some kid’s introduction to Sherlock Holmes, the mystery thriller genre, or the adventure genre, and they start to explore more stories like this one.  Don’t get me wrong.  It’s a well-made movie, with great costume designs, exciting sequences, and fantastic acting, especially from the lead actress Millie Bobby Brown, but the story, much like most adventures targeted to children, won’t be remembered for very long.
     Millie Bobby Brown isn’t the only highlight in this movie.  With the likes of Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, and many others in supporting roles, expect some great performances throughout the film (and also the buffest Sherlock ever).  Everyone does a good job of being serious as if they were in a classic Holmes tale, but when necessary, they can put on the charm and remind us that we’re watching a children’s film.  I will say though that Cavill is a lot more serious than the other performers, and it seems hard for him to have a little more fun in the role and be a tad bit goofy like some of the other actors.  I try not to compare actors who have played similar roles, but after seeing Robert Downey, Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch balance the seriousness and dry humor of the character, Cavill doesn’t stand out to me.  Thankfully, most of the screen time is on the ever-delightful Millie Brown.  She clearly had a blast as the optimistic and mischievous Enola, playing out the character with a lot of wit and confidence.  She helps sell every twist and turn, and she even made me laugh a time or two in very difficult situations that most actors would have a hard time making funny (even Will Ferrell struggled in making Sherlock Holmes funny).  She is an incredibly talented actress, and I hope she continues to find roles that allow her to have as much fun as she does in this movie.
     The look of this movie also reminds me of The Hardy Boys and The Goonies.  Not so much the time setting, but the nostalgic, old-timey feel is very much present in Enola Holmes.  Unlike the Sherlock or Elementary shows, this story goes back to the roots of Sherlock and puts Enola in the late 1800s, a time when men wore dashing suits and women wore big, poofy dresses.  The filmmakers did a great job recreating a late 19th century London, though it does help that a lot of monuments and buildings haven’t changed for over a century.  For me, it’s always fun to try out different time periods for different genres.  In this case, they took a child adventurer, which we’ve seen well over a dozen times by now, and puts her in a setting with no cell phones, no internet, and no jeans or t-shirts.  It was refreshing to see this trope use the resources of that era.  With beautiful landscape shots and great set designs, this movie is like looking into an old painting and seeing art represent a bygone time period.
     Enola Holmes is a fun filled yet forgettable adventure, much like its predecessors.  It’s hard to recreate the iconic stories and writings of one of literature’s most beloved crime stoppers, but for what it’s worth, it’s a great introduction for younger viewers looking to get into mysteries, thrillers, and adventures.  If she’s lucky, Enola may return again and perhaps step out from her big brother’s shadow, but for now, this is a nice little story for kids to experience what many generations have enjoyed for over a century--seeing another case get solved.