chase sequence and breaking the fourth wall are what EnolaHolmes 2 does best. In the opening moments, Enola runs away from two police officers and explains how she got into this mess. The first film had a lot of fun with its playful action, and the sequel keeps that up by making everything bigger and more elaborate. With most of the origin story out of the way in the first film, Enola Holmes 2 is free to let loose and have a good time as the kind of big-budget, family friendly action film that is all too rare nowadays.
The sequel picks up after the first one, with Enola setting up her own agency. Business is a problem. Being a girl and a young one is scaring off potential clients. A young girl is looking for her older sister as Enola closes her office doors. It is clear that there is more going on with the case than just a missing kid when the two workers at the matchstick factory are present. It is not long before the two intersect.
The mystery is complex, but it has a good vibe to it, constantly racing along from revelation to revelation. Enola is forced undercover in both the matchstick factory and at a fancy ball as she searches for the truth. There are lots of loud noises. It is perfect because it is a story about a detective and not a movie about one. It is the kind of film that will appeal to fans of older films like The Mummy or National Treasure.
It is a lot of fun to be a part of the EnolaHolmes franchise. The sequel is able to get to that fun more quickly now that we know most of the characters. The two bicker like real siblings, but they are also fiercely independent. It's a nice twist on the character when he uses his skills of observation to find his sister.
Elsewhere, Susan Wokoma plays Edith, Adeel Akhtar plays Inspector Lestrade, and Louis Partridge plays Enola's love interest. They are joined by some great new additions, including David Thewlis as a sinister police Supt., as well as some surprise reveals that I will not reveal here.
There is some nice character growth and the focus is mostly on the action. It's not too deep or shocking, but it's nice to see Enola start opening herself up and accepting help from friends, and it's almost like a real person.
There is a political backdrop to the film as it takes place during a fictionalized version of the matchgirls' strike. The lead in EnolaHolmes 2 is stuck between worlds: too posh for the working-class kids she is trying to help, and too unrefined for the elites she needs to investigate.
EnolaHolmes firmly establishes itself as one of the few family-friendly blockbusters of the moment. You want the core things from this kind of movie, and that's what it has. There were explosions. There are jokes. It's romance! It establishes its own flavor without going too far outside of its genre. When you see it on TV 10 years from now, you will have no choice but to watch it.
The second movie in the Enola Holmes series will be in select theaters on October 28th.
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