he intelligent, observant, insightful and defying the social norms Holmes is back. No, you got it wrong, I am talking about the youngest of the three - Enola Holmes. You might remember her from two years ago when she was trying to find her lost mother, running from a finishing school, dodging her two brothers while helping a young Viscount Tewkesbury escape from death.

The Enola Holmes franchise is based on The Enola Holmes Mysteries, a young adult fiction series of detective novels by American author Nancy Springer, starring Enola Holmes as the 14-year-old sister of an already famous Sherlock Holmes. So far there have been seven books in the series, all written from 2006 to 2021. The first movie, Enola Holmes, was released in 2020 starring Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes), Henry Cavill (Sherlock Holmes), Sam Claflin (Mycroft Holmes), Louis Partridge (Viscount Tewkesbury) and Helena Bonham Carter (Eudoria Holmes). It would be interesting to note here that this sequel, unlike its predecessor, is not an adaptation of any of Springer’s novels.

The sequel is set a few years after the events of the first movie where the young Enola Holmes has started her own detective agency as she intends to pursue her mission of becoming “a finder of lost souls”. But she struggles to get any clients for two main reasons - first, after all, it is still a misogynistic society of the Victorian era. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly in this film`s context, people are more interested in getting an appointment from her illustrious and famous elder brother, Sherlock Holmes.

After coming face to face with the realities of adult life, being mistaken for the secretary, and being asked repeatedly if Sherlock can help instead, Enola decides to shut down her detective agency. Just as she is wrapping up her belongings, her first client shows up. It is Bess, a young girl, who wants her help in finding her missing sister Sarah Chapman (Hannah Dodd). Hence starts a simple case that weaves itself into a more tangled web, one that also leads her to cross paths with Sherlock and the case he’s investigating about the corruption in the highest echelons of the government. The game, it seems, is afoot again.

To solve this mystery, Enola seeks help from friends and family including her love interest Lord Viscount Tewkesbury, her mother Eudoria who taught her everything from chess to jujitsu, her karate mentor Edith and of course her brother, Sherlock.

In simpler words, this isn’t Arthur Conan Doyle`s Sherlock but that is precisely the point. This is not. Just like Doyle`s Sherlock didn’t have a sister named Enola either. This one really cares for his sister, listens to her to some extent and opts to be her guardian rather than the strict, bureaucratic Mycroft Holmes. This all makes it more of a fun and enjoyable family watch over the weekend.

Interestingly, this has led to some criticism of the portrayal of Sherlock as generally in other depictions, he is cold, detached and selfish. In simpler words, this isn’t Arthur Conan Doyle`s Sherlock; but that is precisely the point. This is not. Just like Doyle`s Sherlock didn’t have a sister named Enola either. This one really cares for his sister, listens to her to some extent, and opts to be her guardian rather than the strict, bureaucratic Mycroft Holmes. This all makes it more of a fun and enjoyable family watch over the weekend. Comparing it with other iterations of Sherlock Holmes or expecting some ground-breaking discovery about him might leave you disappointed but one needs to remember that no matter what her surname is, this is still Enola`s world.

As it is obvious by now, the heart of the movie`s wit and joy is Millie Bobby Brown, who makes this character as charming, fun, and witty as herself in real life. If you ask me, it was a nice break from seeing her roam and run around for fun than because of an inter-dimensional monster. She has definitely established herself as one of the rising stars of the film industry and I look forward to her exploring more genres and roles bringing out the best of her.

The supporting cast has complimented Brown`s efforts well with Cavill leading the lot. They both share much more screen time in this movie and this time it is much more organic and brings coherence to the storyline. Cavill might be one of the kindest (and buffiest) Holmes out there but he has brought a certain charm and stability to it. This Holmes is already famous but still not as established as his counterparts in the parallel worlds and David Thewlis’s portrayal of the villain Grail gives everyone a run for their money. Although remembered fondly for Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter franchise, I have always admired him more for his chilling performance as VM Varga in the third season of Fargo. Helena Bonham Carter brings back her destruction and menace to the storyline while still keeping the mystery about her life and activities.

The ending seamlessly connects the storyline with a real-life historical moment that also gets well-deserved recognition in a closing title card. Also, the one thing we have learned from the Marvel universe is never leave before the end of the credits. There is a mid-credits scene that portrays the ever-growing love, care and respect between the siblings and the arrival of a new character. This along with the introduction of another character at the climax of the movie makes me wonder how much of the storyline will truly remain in Enola`s world in the future sequels. These characters are a welcome addition to many of us but let`s hope it doesn’t overpower the originality and fun of Enola`s universe.

According to reports, the movie has been on Netflix for over two weeks, and as per the latest global numbers, it has been viewed for 64 million hours, streaming across 93 countries, during its first three days on the service. In comparison, the first movie amassed 78 million hours in the first 28 days of its release.

That it has surpassed not only the new movies released on Netflix but also major TV shows, strengthens the argument that it is a rare sequel that surpasses the first.

The reviewer is a digital communication expert and consultant currently working in the public sector. He is the mastermind behind the digital platform, Sukhan.