Enola Holmes is getting married. Or at least she is trying to. The third film in Netflix's mystery franchise opens with Enola, once again played by Millie Bobby Brown, racing to her own wedding in Malta in a white dress, getting set upon by highway robbers, and barely making it to the altar before things fall apart entirely. Her brother Sherlock, played by Henry Cavill, is kidnapped before the ceremony concludes, and the investigation that follows drives the rest of the film.
Variety described the opening as placing Enola atop a picturesque Maltese hill, about to marry Lord Tewkesbury, played by Louis Partridge, who has been her partner since the first film. The wedding sequence also establishes quickly how much the character has grown. She is no longer the wide-eyed teenager introduced in 2020. She is a seasoned detective who can scan a scene and immediately spot inconsistencies, a capability the film demonstrates early and often.
Philip Barantini, who directed Adolescence, takes over from Harry Bradbeer, who helmed the first two films. Barantini works again with screenwriter Jack Thorne, who has scripted all three installments. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Barantini's approach is somewhat darker in tone than the previous films, though the series' signature elements remain. Brown still delivers comic narration directly to the camera, and the film still uses animated visual flourishes that reviewers have compared to the work of Terry Gilliam.
Variety noted that Barantini also brings the long takes that defined Adolescence into this installment, creating what the outlet described as a chapter that splits the difference between something grown-up and playfully youthful. IndieWire was more measured, writing that Barantini's more mature touch does not always gel with the material's general exuberance, and that the film feels out of step with the energy of the earlier installments despite strong visuals and a compelling setting.
The cast includes Himesh Patel as Dr. Watson, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Moriarty, Helena Bonham Carter, and Hattie Morahan as Lady Tewkesbury, who is also abducted during the story. The Hollywood Reporter quoted a line from the film that signals how Enola approaches the investigation: "A Holmes does not disappear without leaving clues for a Holmes."
The Hollywood Reporter observed that Brown has matured in the role, showing a newfound steeliness alongside her comic instincts. IndieWire called her a perfect match for Enola, even while raising concerns about the film's overall energy. Variety described her performance as endearing and noted that the franchise appears to be maturing alongside its core audience, which has been following Brown's Enola since the original film six years ago.
Enola Holmes 3 is rated PG-13 and runs one hour and 45 minutes. It is available on Netflix.
