Enola Holmes 3 Review
Director: Philip Barantini
Date Created: 2026-07-01 20:53
3.5
Enola Holmes 3 Review: Director Philip Barantini takes over the franchise, bringing back Millie Bobby Brown as the spirited young detective alongside Louis Partridge, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, Himesh Patel, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Enola Holmes 3 Review
Netflix movie Enola Holmes 3 revolves around Enola and Tewkesbury travelling to Malta for what seems to be their wedding, but then everything changes abruptly when Sherlock vanishes into thin air. The search that initially started out as just a simple rescue mission turns out to be much bigger than that, because it involves stolen war treasure, old military secrets, corrupt officials from Britain, and even the reappearance of Moriarty, who becomes Enola’s greatest nemesis. Enola starts unravelling mysteries that have been buried for decades.
Rather than being an adventure that revolves around solving one simple mystery, it is a political conspiracy in which each clue discovered only uncovers more lies. It is hard to be sure about anything during the investigation since there is always something new happening, and I kept asking myself how the kidnapping, stolen Afghan gold, cover-up, and Moriarty’s plan would all fit together. However, even if I could guess at some points, it was still exciting.
This larger scope is equally what makes the movie one of its greatest downfalls. There are instances where there is just too much happening in Netflix’s Enola Holmes 3 at once. Given all that has happened to Sherlock, the kidnapping of Lady Tewkesbury, the history of the Anglo-Afghan war, the pursuit of Moriarty, the wedding planning, and the politics of Malta, there is too much happening all at once. Rather than focusing on one emotional plot line at once, the screenplay keeps changing focus onto another problem before finishing the last one.
Once again, Millie Bobby Brown holds the whole movie effortlessly on her own shoulders. There have been quite a few changes in Enola from the first movie, and the actress shows it all very naturally, without changing the fun nature of the girl who became so popular in the previous movie. The character has started to break rules for the right reasons and act according to her impulses, but she does it now much more responsibly, emotionally speaking. In particular, I really liked to see her trying to balance her private affairs and the work of a detective, especially since she was compelled to make a choice between an important event of her own and her loved ones’ safety.
However, Louis Partridge is also given more substance than just becoming the love interest for Enola. He gets further involved in the mystery when some ugly truths start to unravel regarding his family background. This gives his character more significance than just romantic interest. It is great that the movie doesn’t stereotype him as merely being the comic relief or someone who needs rescuing. Rather, he takes part in the mystery-solving process as well.
But there is one aspect where Netflix film Enola Holmes 3 never fails to impress: the connection between Millie Bobby Brown and Louis Partridge. Their bond has evolved as much as the franchise itself, and every moment together is as easy as can be for both of them. Whether it’s playful dialogue or mutual support through their mission, Enola and Tewkesbury’s love is believable rather than forced.
Henry Cavill is still a great Sherlock Holmes because he does not upstage Enola, even though he is such a memorable character. This time around, however, the character’s role is somewhat vulnerable, and he is no longer the omniscient Sherlock Holmes but rather part of the enigma. This transformation leads to some emotionally charged scenes towards the end of the movie. The brother-sister relationship between Enola and Sherlock is one of the best features of the franchise, and I enjoyed its development in this film.
Moriarty is a successful villain since her reasons for acting go well beyond mere vengeance. Spoiler alert! One of the things that I liked about Moriarty was how she works from behind the scenes and lets Enola unwittingly work on the solution to the puzzle for her. The movie doesn’t show her as just someone who uses physical threats; instead, Moriarty appears to enjoy playing mind games, which makes every meeting with her a surprise. Yet at the same time, I would have loved to hear her story too.
The other thing that I really liked was how the movie tied its fiction to real exploitation in history. The fact that the gold is from Afghanistan and the activities carried out by Britain during their war make the mystery heavier compared to just following yet another criminal mastermind. Although the political message is not very discreet, at least it adds value to the mystery.
However, I could not help but notice that there were times when the screenplay relied too much on coincidences. In particular, certain revelations turn out to be quite convenient, and even some of the secondary characters seem to serve merely as a tool for introducing another crucial piece of information rather than being fully developed.
Netflix Enola Holmes 3 Review: Summing Up
Overall, Enola Holmes 3 proves to be a fun sequel due to endearing characters and great acting by Millie Bobby Brown. The plot proves to be captivating, and there are higher stakes compared to previous films, along with a deeper plotline due to its political background. At the same time, too much action in the movie and sometimes too rapid character development do not allow it to be a perfect film. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to watch another adventure of Enola.
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