by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
With a few exceptions, Netflix has failed to make recognizable franchises. The streaming giant used to be incredibly reliant on projects like the MCU to bring in loyal viewers. I remember how big of a deal it was that Avengers: Infinity War landed on Netflix on Christmas Day in 2018. Now those days are over with most studios having their own streaming services. Sure, they still land popular movies here and there, thanks to Sony, but now the company relies on their own creations to draw attention. And they have found success in niche genres like reality TV and sci-fi series like Stranger Things. But many of their releases that open to some attention ultimately fades into obscurity. So, we might as well talk about another attempt at franchise success with the release of Enola Holmes 3.
At long last, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) is to be wed. She has found love in Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) and will marry him on the island of Malta. However, her brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill) has gone missing and with no one else to find him, she puts her wedding on hold to track him down. But there are dangerous forces afoot all over the island and Enola might have found herself in the middle of a battle between the occupying English and the local islanders. With help from Tewkesbury, Sherlock’s partner Watson (Himesh Patel), and her mother Eudora (Helena Bonham Carter), Enola might just be able to track down her brother with enough time to still be wed on the beautiful island.
Despite their lack of reliable franchises, Netflix has found a steady young star in Millie Bobby Brown. Stranger Things is certainly what she is known for (and deservedly so), but her work in the Enola trilogy deserves respect. These movies won’t bring a lot of critical acclaim, but she works well as the young hero. The role lets her flex her witty muscles in a fun way. She does well at keeping these movies light. In many ways she carries this trilogy, as they would be completely unenjoyable without her likability. She doesn’t fail her predecessors in the line of big names to play a Holmes. She may not have the career of Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jr. but she’s also not even 25 yet. If she keeps choosing projects like this and delivering good performances, she’ll be well on her way.
Of the rest of the British mystery solvers, Bonham Carter fits into her slot the best. She has an established career as a whack-job thanks to Tim Burton and Harry Potter. She is a little on the lighter side here, but she makes a lot of sense as the Holmes’ matriarch. The two play off each other like an actual mother and daughter would. Cavill is not in this movie nearly enough to make a strong impression one way or another. Patel is always a welcome sight but he’s also barely the movie himself. It’s a talented supporting cast but it feels like none of them are in it enough to really make an impact.
I enjoy seeing Enola do detective work and notice clues. Her combat scenes are decent enough as well. But there is no twist or big reveal to catch the audience by surprise. It takes the wind out of our sails in the third act when things should be at their most exciting.
I wish more could have been done to explore the interesting setting of this story. Malta is a lovely place, but only so many shots of city corridors can be interesting to me. Show me the beach or some interesting architecture. I get it: Netflix needs to save money somewhere, so soundstages get used a lot. But this is the final chapter of a trilogy with arguably your biggest star. Loosen the purse strings a bit.
Yet, I still walked away perfectly fine from this one, and it comes back to Brown. She has charm and is giving 100% to make this movie work. I guess it makes sense that she would be a producer given how much she seems to care about this project. Give it a try when you have a few free hours. It’s not the worst thing Netflix has made.
Rating: High Side of Okay
Enola Holmes 3 is available to stream on Netflix
You can read more from Samuel Nichols, and follow him on Letterboxd