Welcome to the Netflix Original Trilogy Club, enola holmes! It’s no mystery why the Millie Bobby Brown-led franchise has joined the ranks of only a few Netflix Originals to hit a third film: According to two Netflix engagement reports, the original enola holmes The whole of 2023 was watched by 13.9 million people, and the sequel was watched by 21 million people; Additionally, they were two critically well-received films, as both scored positive on Metacritic and were certified “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Unlike films like young woman And electrical stateThe enola holmes Movies seem to be the way forward for Millie Bobby Brown as a young rising movie star-stranger things Livelihood.
For myself, I’d also add that I thought the second film was an improvement on the first film, removing the constraints of a young girl coming of age in late 19th century British society, removing concerns about romance or her mother’s whereabouts, and moving forward with a well-crafted mystery solved with the greatest family ever created – with extras for Henry Cavill as Sherlock and Helena Bonham Carter as mother Eudoria. With time. The tone improved significantly, with a more heartfelt, dynamic and adventurous spirit, and, as it was also director Harry Bradbeer’s second film, the sequel was more in tune with its protagonist’s strengths and more comfortable with increasing the pace, moving the camera, and tightening the editing.
So, when I read the initial plot description and production changes enola holmes 3I had a few minor concerns: no Harry Bradbeer behind the camera, Sherlock’s kidnapping as a major plot point, and the potential increase in romance over crime-solving with Enola’s marriage to Lord Tewkesbury also in the main focus. The story moves from the standard Holmes mystery setting of London to the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, bringing a far more vivid seaside local flavor to the more dark and mysterious cobblestone chaos you may be accustomed to.
But, of course, this franchise – including this new film – has always had the consistency of an unchanged and talented lead cast (Brown, Cavill and Bonham Carter), a successful book series to shore up the plot, and a well-defined hero character whose growth as a woman and the impact on her family keeps us coming back film after film. Will the chemistry and established success be enough to carry this third installment forward, or will it lose its way and jeopardize the franchise’s future prospects?
‘This is what I say… it’s a bit of both, I’m afraid.
Enola Holmes 3. (Left to Right) Louis Partridge as Tewkesbury, Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes and Himesh Patel as Dr. Watson in Enola Holmes 3. Ten million. John Wilson/Netflix ©2026
Directed by series newcomer Philippe Barantini (boiling point, adolescence), enola holmes 3 It appears to be a half-and-half in almost every aspect of the previous films that have made this franchise such a huge success. The pace is a step slower, even for a runtime of less than two hours; The script feels less funny, less smart, and less layered in its construction; There is little sense of style and creativity in editing and direction (especially in the battle scenes); And, of course, the mystery seems less interesting when even the great Enola Holmes will stop her investigation of finding her world-famous detective brother to go swimming with his fiancée.
From the opening moments of the film you feel as if you have forgotten something. The flashbacks to Enola’s memories of the time between the previous film and now feel like the movie I wanted to see: Holmes, Holmes, and the newly added Dr. Watson (Tomorrow star Himesh Patel) breaking into a crime scene on the streets of London and having a good time doing it, or Enola and Tewkesbury living a life together that’s reminiscent of her playful youth at home with her mom! Instead, we get a story that seems content to push Sherlock back after getting distracted by a potential case because he’s been kidnapped (Watson is kidnapped in the third book, by the way), and a more awkward version of Tewksbury with a “will they? won’t they?” There is lack of. The energy of the first two movies after never getting to the church on your wedding day.
instead, enola holmes 3 Ally tries to change the players’ courage and sarcasm part 2-Ass-kicking Edith, a Sherlock in lockstep with Enola as their cases intertwine, her mother’s explosion-loving madness – with the inconsistent help of a more measured and steady Watson, occasional drop-ins from her mother with significantly less explosiveness and spontaneity, Tewkesbury’s complicated sidekick energy when he’s not distracted by his family drama, and a newcomer in political activist Michael (Joe Azzopardi). , who brings Inigo Montoya catchphrase-level disdain for British influence on Malta and wishes for his nation to become independent. The action, thrills, intelligence, and pace are all diminished as the replacement players do not work as hard or add to Enola’s skill set as her own extended family did in the past.
Enola Holmes 3. Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes 3. Courtesy of Netflix ©2026
Cavill as Sherlock, in particular, feels most absent from the proceedings as an old rival returns to the fray. Why would you want Enola to face someone from her past alone when you can have them together? Is the film once again trying to prove Enola’s growth since she shackled Sherlock? Some of the film’s themes—such as Enola’s idea of losing her name and her independence upon marrying a lord like Tewkesbury—suggest that may be the case, but the second film has already allowed her to grow, while also having Sherlock along to visit when needed. Why take a step back while at the same time distracting him from the wedding and frustrating Tewkesbury? The story feels stuck between modes as Enola struggles between being guilty of not putting her fiancé’s needs above the case at the wrong time and being the stubborn, exceptionally talented detective who needs the only consistent familial presence in her life.
While many of my pre-existing concerns were manifested in the experience of watching the film, enola holmes 3 It’s still better than your average Netflix fare, featuring the characters we love back with actors who impress every time they’re on screen. The problem is that this installment falls short of its own franchise expectations, not utilizing the best aspects of the same characters and story features. We’re moving ever further away from books as drivers of on-screen plot, and maybe that won’t always work; But if these films continue to surpass the ones that first brought the franchise to a third film, we may never get more films like this in the future.
Check out Enola Holmes 3 if you want
- enola holmes
- enola holmes 2
- Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films
- Young Sherlock (Amazon)
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Himesh Patel as Dr. Watson
As the latest character added to the franchise, Dr. Watson, played admirably by Himesh Patel, becomes a Swiss army knife for the needs of the plot. enola holmes 3. He could be a calming influence, Sherlock’s touchstone for Enola, and even a former soldier with a history of serving the Crown’s interests.
Patel has played the role of Watson with such dignity and grace even though he is not a carbon copy of his previous Watson. He may be more of a sidekick with a certain set of skills and intelligence, almost seeming like an older brother to the younger characters, to whom Sherlock is perhaps reluctant.
Watchable with a baseline of established characters and personalities, but enola holmes It feels like some of the magic and cinematic flair of the Harry Bradbear era is missing. Less use of Sherlock and Eudoria and more romantic distractions take the suspense and pomp down a notch from the previous films. Certainly the least rewatchable entry in the franchise.
