Enola Holmes 3 review: Millie Bobby Brown in grown-up Netflix sequel

Variety's Enola Holmes 3 review finds Millie Bobby Brown back in a frisky, grown-up Netflix chapter directed by Adolescence helmer Philip Barantini—light on plot but lavish on Malta-set style, with Sherlock's kidnapping interrupting Enola's wedding day. Tomris Laffly calls it another compulsively watchable Holmes whodunit as the franchise matures with its audience.

Key Takeaways

• Philip Barantini replaces Harry Bradbeer, pairing with returning writer Jack Thorne on a Malta-set mystery that Variety deems frisky and more grown-up.
• Millie Bobby Brown's Enola faces pre-wedding jitters before Sherlock's abduction forces her to postpone marrying Lord Tewkesbury.
• Variety praises production design and action—including a Moriarty return—but says the story is thin and social themes feel like afterthoughts.
• Barantini keeps the series' feather-light pace while adding Adolescence-style long takes and sophisticated camera work.
• The critic concludes Enola remains intellectually sharp and proudly romantic without empty you-go-girl feminism.

What does Variety say about Enola Holmes 3?

In a review published June 30, 2026, Variety critic Tomris Laffly frames Enola Holmes 3 as the winsome latest entry in Netflix's mystery franchise—and part of a strong summer for plucky British gumshoes after Sheep Detectives. The deck calls it light on story but lavishly designed, with a romantic Maltese backdrop gifting viewers another compulsively watchable escapade.

Laffly writes that Enola is no longer a wide-eyed novice. She has built a reputation as an insightful detective who can spot half a dozen fishy peculiarities in any scene. Brown enters in a bridal gown atop a picturesque Maltese hill, about to marry Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), her partner since the first film. For more streaming coverage, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.

How does Philip Barantini change the franchise?

Barantini, the Adolescence director, takes over from Harry Bradbeer while Jack Thorne returns on script, drawing from Nancy Springer's book series. Enola's peppy voiceover muses that great stories begin with a wedding—a tone Laffly says defines the upbeat franchise.

Barantini preserves the previous films' fast-paced, feather-light qualities with witty visual effects and zippy editing. He also infuses sophisticated camera moves, including the long takes that powered much of Adolescence. The result splits the difference between grown-up and playfully youthful, signaling a series maturing alongside young viewers who have followed Brown's Enola since 2020.

Does the mystery hold up?

The wedding proves short-lived. Enola must postpone her nuptials to solve her most personal case yet: the abduction of Sherlock (Henry Cavill). Laffly notes the kidnapping feels far-fetched for such an experienced sleuth, but Enola's confident crime-scene work—including Morse-coded fingerprints that stun Dr. Watson (Himesh Patel)—and Malta's sparkly waters help forgive the script's shortcomings.

Still, timely references like the suffrage movement and workers' rights that energized earlier entries are missed. Plotlines about Maltese freedom fighters and Watson's Anglo-Afghan past read as polite afterthoughts behind Enola's familial reconciliation, especially when Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) reemerges. The story centers on Enola's future and pre-wedding doubts—whether she is marrying the right person and choosing the life she wants. Laffly argues that mystery feels meager next to those existential questions.

Is Millie Bobby Brown still the draw?

Variety says the film remains worth watching, especially when Moriarty (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) returns in a punishing scheme. Fight and chase sequences pit Brown and Duncan-Brewster as evenly matched opponents with real stakes across well-choreographed action.

Laffly highlights the series' refusal of empty you-go-girl feminism. Enola is Sherlock's intellectual equal with plenty of physical strength, but she also has a proudly romantic heart she need not compromise. Read the full assessment at Variety.