Enola Holmes Movie Review

Many films tell stories. Others invite you to become part of it. Enola Holmes 3 does exactly that, drawing viewers into its narrative from the very beginning, encouraging them to think, question, and connect clues. Over the weekend I decided to (finally) watch Enola Holmes 3, and as someone who has been a fan of the franchise ever since it started, I was extremely excited and had very high hopes. The movie has a change of scenery then the previous parts, set in Malta, where Enola and Tewksbury are set to be married. Just as they are about to marry, Enola is told that her brother (Sherlock) has disappeared. The wedding is called off as Enola plunges into yet another cryptic case. While the film is not without its flaws, it encourages its audience to think alongside Enola, and to focus on the clues planted throughout the film.

Of course, no discussion of Enola Holmes would be complete without mentioning Enola herself. Enola’s character is brought to life by Millie Bobby Brown, bringing intelligence, confidence, and warmth to her role. One of the most distinctive features of Enola’s character (and my personal favourite) is her constant habit of breaking the fourth wall. This has also occurred in both the first and second part of the Enola Holmes movie series, and has always made me feel a part of the story. These moments do not feel forced, they instead establish a personal connection between Enola and the audience, making it feel as if she is sharing her thought process with us, rather than simply narrating the story.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is its ability to keep the mystery alive. Rather than presenting a straightforward investigation, the story constantly evolves throughout the film, with every answer leading to the next question. It never feels repetitive or overwhelming, it instead develops the case naturally, maintaining suspense. Every clue feels deliberate and meaningful, and made me pay attention to the film without making me feel constantly forced to engage. The very start of the movie starts in a prison site with various parts of dialogue being said without fully exposing specific people, and these beginning few seconds end up becoming an essential part of the plot of the film. The moment initially draws the audience in, and throughout the movie it becomes clear that it was carefully placed to guide the viewers without giving too much away. It reflects how the film rewards attention to detail rather than exposing mysteries straight away.

Perhaps the film’s smartest storytelling technique is its use of flashbacks, specifically with certain quotes. Instead of simply reminding the audience about previous words, these moments completely reshape their understanding of what they have already heard, encouraging the audience to re-evaluate earlier assumptions. Many times in this film, there are quick cuts to different quotes that were said by multiple people, and by doing this, they turn these quotes into something with different meaning, becoming a key to understanding an entire sequence of events. For example, “Look for what's in front of you, yes, but do not forget to look behind that front,” is a quote from Eudoria Holmes, Enola’s mother. This quote is said towards the middle of the film, but towards the end of the film, is repeated, and gains an entirely new narrative. This transformation shows how the film builds depth through repetition rather than unnecessary complexity. 

However, despite all of these strengths, the film does fall short in one important area, the story itself. While the journey is consistently engaging, the end result lacks greater complexity and sharpness that the audience may have wanted. The writing also misses a few opportunities. Given the heavy popularity of the franchise, there was definitely room to explore its characters in greater depth. While Enola’s personality remains prominent throughout the movie, some of the supporting relationships feel less developed as they could have been. For example, there is a lack of connection between Enola and Sherlock. In almost every scene with just the two of them, there lacks genuine emotions between the two of them, which made me feel slightly disconnected between the two’s relationship despite how heavily focused it was throughout the previous two movies. 

Even so, these criticisms never outweigh what the film does well. The pacing remains strong throughout. There is an even balance between mystery, humour, and emotion, keeping the story entertaining while using different techniques to give the film a strong sense of cohesion. The part of the movie I enjoyed the most was how invested I became in solving the mystery alongside Enola. Rather than simply watching the events unfold, I found myself questioning every character, making guesses on what would happen next, and searching for as many clues as possible. 

Ultimately, Enola Holmes 3 is not the strongest in the franchise, but it is certainly an enjoyable adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as someone who is heavily in favour of mystery, action and true crime. The film’s clever storytelling techniques, engaging environment, memorable flashbacks, and Enola’s constant fourth wall breaks creates an experience for the audience that is constantly entertaining and engaging. If you enjoy a mystery that keeps you thinking till the end, this one is for you!