Mystery Movie Review - Enola Holmes 2

I reviewed the first movie in this Netflix movie franchise (click here).  While Sherlock pureists won't like this for the few liberties taken to fit a younger sister into the Holmes canon, this is still a great Sherlock-adjacent mystery/adventure.  Originally based on the books by author Nancy Springer with 6 books in the series thus far at this writing.

What it's about:

"Fresh off the triumph of solving her first case, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) follows in the footsteps of her famous brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill), and opens her own agency -- only to find that life as a female detective-for-hire isn't as easy as it seems. Resigned to accepting the cold realities of adulthood, she is about to close shop when a penniless matchstick girl offers Enola her first official job: to find her missing sister. But this case proves to be far more puzzling than expected, as Enola is thrown into a dangerous new world -- from London's sinister factories and colorful music halls, to the highest echelons of society and 221B Baker Street itself. As the sparks of a deadly conspiracy ignite, Enola must call upon the help of friends -- and Sherlock himself -- to unravel her mystery. The game, it seems, has found its feet again!" IMDB

Cast:

Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes

Henry Cavill (Superman) as Sherlock Holmes

Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown as Princess Margaret, The King's Speach, Harry Potter as Bellatrix Lestrange) as Eudoria Holmes -Enola's mother

Louis Partridge as Tewkesbury

David Thewlis (Prof Lupin in Harry Potter, Wonder Woman)

Susan Wokoma

Rotten Tomatoes and critics reviews:

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

"These Enola Holmes films are just great, striking an excellent balance of action, witty humor and a dark edge." Tim Cogshell, FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

"The plot hitches up its skirts and races along from the very first scene and the style and tone very much echo the original with Enola’s occasional cheeky fourth wall breaking..."  Paul Mount, Starburst

"Enola Holmes 2 triumphantly builds on the first film with added layers of charm, action, empowerment, and even a bit of romance." Kristen Maldonado, Pop Culture Planet

"While much of writer Jack Thorne’s screenplay copies tropes from the previous film, the additional Sherlock Holmes lore that is expanded in this film, and the return of the characters we love, make this adventure well worth taking." 

Josh Flanders, Chicago Reader

"Even though it’s a sequel, set in a familiar world with characters who have appeared on screen in countless iterations, Enola Holmes 2 still manages to feel fresh."  Kimber Myers, Crooked Marquee

My Thoughts:

Pure entertainment and a fresh character in Enola. Millie Bobby Brown provides us with a determined, smart, and capable young woman with just enough comedic touches and vulnerable moments to make her endearing. This second outing is a challenge for a movie to try to replicate the magic of the successful first movie.  But, this second Enola may be even better than the first with so many twists and non-stop action (you might need a nap after watching it!)  I love this second movie, I recommend for a fun movie with plenty of action.

Movie Trailor:

https://youtu.be/KKXNmYoPkx0

Movie Review - Enola Holmes

Movie Blurb: "When Enola Holmes—Sherlock’s teen sister—discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she outwits her famous brother Sherlock and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord. Starring Millie Bobby Brown,  Henry Cavill (Superman), and Helena Bonham-Carter (Harry Potter and  King's Speech)."

What's it About?:  Enola Homes is based on the first book in the young-adult fiction series by Nancy Springer. The story is about the teenage sister of the already-famous Sherlock Holmes, who travels to London to find her missing mother but ends up on a thrilling adventure, pairing up with a runaway lord as they attempt to solve a mystery that threatens the entire country.  

Enola's mother, and therefore Sherlock's mother, raised her in seclusion to be smart and capable of defending herself.  It becomes clear that the Holmes matriarch had something planned or was hiding from somebody.  This adds to the overall mystery.

A Change Of Plans:  The movie was originally planned to be release by Warner Bros. Pictures in movie theaters, but then Covid hit.  The distribution rights for the film were then picked up by Netflix and the release was solely on the paid subscription site on September 23, 2020. 

Reviews:  It received overall positive reviews from critics (91% Rotten Tomatoes and praised Brown's performance). It was one of the most-watched original Netflix films with an estimated 76 million households watching the film in the first four weeks of release.  

Peter Debruge of Variety called the film an "entertaining franchise starter" and praised Brown's performance and found the film "more tasteful in its high-energy storytelling than Guy Ritchie's recent Sherlock Holmes.

Legal Troubles: However, the Conan Doyle Estate filed a lawsuit against Netflix over the film.  The estate claims the movie violates copyright by depicting Sherlock Holmes as having emotions.  It seems that the few stories in the Sherlock canon that were written with Sherlock displaying any emotions (in 1923 and 1927) haven't reached the 100 year copywrite expiration.  Henry Cavill said that his portrayal of Sherlock was "a lot more emotional to begin with, so we pared it back, and we said, 'alright, let's not make it too emotional'."  My thoughts on the lawsuit is that an actor does have some artistic license to portray a character and make it his.  That is what acting is all about.

My thoughts:

I love the idea of Sherlock having a sister and Enola seems perfect.  She is unexpected, smart but is still honing her deductive skills, impetuous, wily, and yet still a touch naïve and trusting.  I adore Henry Cavill's portrayal of Sherlock and how he would feel towards a younger sister.  I grant you the movie is more of an intrigue tale than a sleuthing story, but I also think it needed to wow audiences to ensure a follow up movie.  The good news is that there will be a second movie and it should start filming this fall.

Overall, it is an entertaining movie with excellent acting and the story keeps moving.  I enjoyed this far more than the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock franchise - by far!  I loved it and highly recommend.  If you haven't seen it yet, treat yourself.

Movie trailer: https://youtu.be/y0f2xmjjUyI

Review - The Art of Theft

I have been a fan of this new series that re-imagines the Sherlock mythos since the debut, A Study in Scarlet Women (click here), the second book, A Conspiracy in Belgravia (click here), and the third, The Hollow of Fear (click here).  This outing for our intrepid consulting detective sets the brilliant mind of Sherlock to the problem of a near impossible heist to help a dear friend.

Author: Sherry Thomas

Copyright: October 2019 (Berkeley) 303 pgs

Series: 4th in Lady Sherlock Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Private Investigator

Main Character: Charlotte Holmes, disgraced upper class woman who creates the Sherlock Holmes identity

Setting: 1886 England and France

Obtained Through: Publisher (via Netgalley) for honest opinion

From book blurb: "As "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes has solved murders and found missing individuals. But she has never stolen a priceless artwork—or rather, made away with the secrets hidden behind a much-coveted canvas.

But Mrs. Watson is desperate to help her old friend recover those secrets and Charlotte finds herself involved in a fever-paced scheme to infiltrate a glamorous Yuletide ball where the painting is one handshake away from being sold and the secrets a bare breath from exposure.

Her dear friend Lord Ingram, her sister Livia, Livia's admirer Stephen Marbleton—everyone pitches in to help and everyone has a grand time. But nothing about this adventure is what it seems and disaster is biding time on the grounds of a glittering French chateau, waiting only for Charlotte to make a single mistake..."

Charlotte Holmes is blond, pretty, very feminine and frilly, too fond of sweets, and far too intelligent for the time period. Essentially the opposite of what the traditional image is of Sherlock.  Lord Ingram Ashburton, a long time friend who cares very deeply for her even if she doesn't return his feelings will assist Charlotte no matter what.  Mrs. John Watson, a retired stage actress who has become Charlotte's unique and talented sidekick is the reason Holmes takes up this cause. Charlotte's adult younger sister, Olivia, has escaped the controlling grasp of her parents for a few weeks and follows Charlotte into the scheme.  Plus, she will get some time with Mr. Marbleton who she is quite fond of.  Stephen Marbleton is in hiding from the dangerous Moriarity and takes part at great peril.

The setting is both London and the remote French country side surrounding the French chateau where the exclusive auction will take place.  The French location is wonderfully atmospheric and presents its own challenges to the heist, giving the story added stakes.

The series has exciting killer/villain reveals and this was no different.  I enjoy how the Sherlock we know is turned on his head and re-imagined brilliantly. This is a historical heist as well as a cat and mouse game.  Nothing is as it seems and only the mind behind Sherlock Holmes is up to the task of seeing through the maze to the true intentions.  This can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel, but I suggest at least starting with the book just prior to this one, The Hollow of Fear, to better understand the relationship between Charlotte and Lord Ingram.

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

 

Sherlock Holmes: Grandfather of Forensic Science?

In the last few decades, the average person has become familiar with forensic science and the high tech equipment that does much of the work (Mass Spec etc.).  This is due in large part to television shows like the CSI suite of shows (CSI Vegas, CSI Miami, CSI NY, NCIS, Bones, Crossing Jordan, and likely others). 

I found this fascinating PBS show that traces our modern forensics back to the Sherlock Holmes stories of  1887 through to 1921.  It may seem fantastic to make such a claim, but here are some of the highlights that I found convincing:

When Sherlock first came on the scene, Victorian England was in the midst of the Ripper murders.  Police didn’t know about preserving a crime scene, they collected little-to-no evidence.  Sherlock’s approach was revolutionary and hadn’t even been considered when he was first published.  The police of the day weren’t there to collect evidence, they rounded up the usual suspects and got confessions.  Conan Doyle, a graduate of medical school, unwittingly wrote the first forensic science examples.  Conan Doyle and his fictional Holmes educated the law enforcement of the day on how scientific investigations should be conducted, and he still inspires forensic scientists today.

 The Sherlock Holmes stories were the first to show law enforcement to look for small items with a magnifying glass, and to look for minute traces and evidence, to sniff and measure, and to preserve a crime scene from contamination.

From fingerprints, footprints, blood, ballistics, and poison he was 125 years ahead of his time.  Sherlock’s deductive reasoning is primarily based on what is now considered Forensic evidence.

Here is the program for you to watch if you are intrigued.  Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRMU9L6YoXo

What do you think?  Is Sherlock the grandfather of our modern Forensic Science?