Enola Holmes. The new era of detective movies?

Well, for decades, Sherlock Holmes has become a household name for being the meticulous, incredibly smart detective who could solve any mystery. He has been portrayed by an array of exceptional actors, all of whom have done justice to the intelligent detective.

In comes Enola Holmes, written cleverly into character by Nancy Springer as a witty, adventurous teenager and not forgetting, younger sibling of Sherlock. Portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown, Enola is the witty, unconventional teen who, like her mother, is considered an unconventional female for breaking the glass box within which women were placed and expected to remain. Most would remember her from Stranger Things or from the Godzilla movies, but Brown truly displays her talent amidst older, more experienced actors by displaying her natural gift and wit.

Supported by on-screen favourites, Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin, Enola does an amazing job at staying true to the character and the storyline while not shifting focus onto the famous pair of actors.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Enola Holmes was raised at the turn of the 20th century, a time of male dominance, where women were deemed as holding their “rightful” places in a household, as bearers of children, and as good, decent wives. Home schooled by a mother whose views on women were reflected by the way she lived, Enola grew up learning to solve puzzles, decode ciphers and practice jiu jitsu. Unlike girls her age, she was not taught to curtsy, to allow men to lead or to embroider, as she related to the Viscount Tewkesbury, whose encounter steered the very path of the young detective.

Why did Enola leave home?

She set out to find her missing mother (played by Helena Bonham Carter), who had always been shrouded by mystery, and a cipher, herself. Mycroft Holmes, the eldest of the three siblings took her as his ward and instantly arranged for her to attend Ms. Harrison’s boarding school, intended to groom her into a lady fit for marriage.

Sam Claflin does an excellent job as the bossy elder brother. Meanwhile, Sherlock (Cavill) noticed her intelligence beyond her wittiness, which Mycroft mistook as rudeness.

She immediately fled, in a quest to find her mother.

How did she meet Viscount Tewkesbury?

She met the young Viscount Tewkesbury (played by Louis Partridge of Paddington 2 and Medici) on the train, after he fled his home as well, to avoid joining the army. After a daring rescue of the Viscount, from an assassin, they set out to London where they part ways.

Who was Viscount Tewkesbury?

Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilweather is a young Lord whose place in the House of Lords had been inherited from his deceased father. Like his father, he believes that England requires change. It is his open approach that makes him a target for others, including his own grandmother who reveals to Enola that change would not benefit England.

There she learned how to blend in with the ultimate disguise- a woman- to escape the grip of her brothers. She fought and escaped the assassin from the train while discovering that perhaps her mother was not as harmless as she had thought. There were explosives and a reveal that her mother had work to do, as related by her friend and karate teacher, Edith (played by Susie Wokoma).

With a cast like Enola’s, it is easy to become engrossed in veteran actors- Bonham Carter’s eccentricity and Cavill’s handsome gestures that may be a distraction to some, even Claflin’s on screen charm which had been cleverly disguised under his incredible moustache, can be quite captivating. Yet, the young Brown manages to attract the audience in each scene she is in.

In England, she learned the ways of the world- disguising as a widow in pretence of being Sherlock Holmes’ assistant to the Viscount’s family, warding off Lestrade, the police officer hired by Mycroft to find her, even using the press to send ciphers to her mother… Enola had even gained the awe of Sherlock.

When finally caught by Lestrade, (played by Adeel Akhtar, of Murdered by my father), she was sent to Ms. Harrison’s boarding school by Mycroft. There, she was taught how to stand, laugh and sit like a lady. Here, the bias to men was displayed well, when Ms. Harrison told her that she would one day thank her when she is happily married with “two strapping boys”. It almost sounds like a scene in The Beauty and the Beast (1991) animated film, in which Gaston declared that he could picture Belle with their young boys, while she massaged his feet. This type of conversation in a time where women were frowned upon for having a liberal view of themselves fit the feminist lead.

Even other women despised defiant women who did not fit the mould of being subservient to the needs of men- as seen with Ms. Harrison and the Dowager (the Viscount’s grandmother), who believed that change would negatively impact the future of England.

When visited by Sherlock, she was given a renewed sense of will when gifted with a toy she would drag around as a child, an acorn she called Dash. He reminded her that their mother always saw more in her. A large package arrived for her, and out popped the Viscount in a bid to rescue her.

They both escaped on Ms. Harrison’s motor car, laughing as they reached a fork in the road. She decided that it was time that he went back home.

Who wanted to kill the Viscount Tewkesbury?

When they arrived, to their surprise, there were no servants, or family. The assassin returned and opened fire. As he stood strangling the Viscount, Enola, upon remembering her mother’s words of never being alone, finally got the jiu jitsu takedown right, sending the assassin’s head crashing against a metal ornament.

Enola demanded to know who he worked for, to which he responded- England. Just then the Dowager entered and indicated that she needed to finish things herself, before firing at the Viscount. Enola approached her as she stood out of bullets. The Viscount got up, revealing a sheet of armour from the hallway, under his shirt.

Sherlock reported to Lestrade that the Dowager had indeed killed the Viscount’s father and had possibly attempted to do the same to the young Lord. Lestrade revealed that his sister had beaten him to it, which seemed to have excited the legendary detective.

Back in England, Enola met with the Viscount before the vote at the House of Lords. A kiss on the hand left her speechless as she wished him luck. In the newspaper, she finally saw a cipher. Upon decoding it, she quickly realized that it was Sherlock.

Once again, disguised as a boy, she observed Sherlock and Mycroft, whose mood was more subtle, credited to the vote in favour of the Reform bill. As they headed for a drink, he spotted Dash in the square, but laughed to himself, choosing not to reveal her presence.

At her place, she was met by a visitor- her mother, who finally revealed that she was sorry for leaving but wanted her to live in a better world. She praised her for influencing that change by her rescue of the Viscount.

Finally, Enola had found her place- no longer alone, or confined to the world’s restrictions, but a detective, and a finder of lost souls.

It is hard not to love Enola, much like the way many have loved Sherlock Holmes. So, is Enola Holmes the new face of detective movies? Perhaps, we will have to wait and see.

Check out Enola Holmes on Netflix.