Inevitably as I'm not in the target teen market for this film I ended up hating it, but then I'm a guy approaching it as a fan of Conan Doyle and authentic screen depictions of Sherlock Holmes, not this modernist teen fantasy version. And this film is pure fantasy, not even attempting to look into the moral codes and etiquette of Victorian society, but instead throwing in random disparate elements including all-female ju jitsu clubs and the sight of a random artistocrat cavorting around the countryside with a female minor. The plot hinges on a ridiculous, underwritten and uninteresting mystery, while the cast is littered with familiar faces ill at ease in their roles: Helena Bonham Carter, whose entire role is rather pointless; Henry Cavill, who couldn't be more miscast if he tried. The only decent performances come from Burn Gorman (once more typecast as an assassin) and the excellent Millie Bobby Brown, whose charisma and exuberance shine off the screen.

Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) grew up with her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) as her teacher and best friend. She doesn't know her late father and her two older absent brothers. One morning, the sixteen year old wakes up to discover her mother has gone missing. Her brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) return home. Mycroft is shocked that the house is in disrepair despite his various payments over the years. He insists that Enola attend Miss Harrison's strict finishing school to prepare her for a husband. She runs away to look for her mother. Along the way, she rescues young runaway Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) from an assassin and uncovers a conspiracy against political reform.

Millie Bobby Brown has all the charisma in the world. Cavill is playing Sherlock as a detached loner and Claflin is bordering on villainy. There are two mysteries in the movie but they do not coexist easily. The big mistake is Enola abandoning Tewkesbury in London. It's a much better option for their chemistry to stay together and they create good chemistry later on after they reunite. It makes little sense that he doesn't join her in her search for her mother. It would also make the later encounters with the assassin a lot less awkward. One can always assume that the killer catches up to Tewkesbury. It makes less sense that he catches up to Enola when he had never seen her in a dress. It also makes more sense for Enola to go to Miss Harrison in the beginning rather than in the middle. In the beginning, she can build up her resentment which drives her to runaway. By the middle, she has already shown her independence and her abilities which makes it less likely for her to suffer under Miss Harrison. I watched the trailer after watching the movie and that's exactly what the trailer suggests. I'm not an original thinker. It just seems obvious. There are a few contrivances in the plot. There is also the reason for mother's disappearance. It doesn't get resolved to my satisfaction. It would make more sense if Mycroft already knew that she had siphoned off the money and intends to put her in an institution. The plot throws in so much with the Chinese gunpowder but does not pay it off in the end. The plot needs some better construction. Despite all that, I love MBB's screen presence and can't wait for more from this franchise.

Based on a series of Young Adult novels that introduced a younger sister of Sherlock Holmes.

Enola Holmes has a remarkably mature performance from Millie Bobby Brown in the title role.

Enola is a 16 year old independent minded teenager raised by her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) to be free spirited. Enola has had little contact with her two older brothers since they left home after the death of their father.

When Mrs Holmes suddenly disappears, Her two older brothers reappear in her life. Mycroft Holmes (Sam Claflin) is her guardian and wants her to send her to a cruel finishing school. Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) just sits silently gazing.

It seems to be a mystery why the two brothers are not that worried that their mother has gone off somewhere.

It is vibrant Enola who goes off to find her mother. She meets her mother's network of ladies in London. She also finds adventure with a runaway Lord Tewkesbury whose life is in danger.

Enola Holmes is sloppy and overlong. It should had been a tighter and a more spirited adventure. The biggest problem is the characterisation of Mycroft Holmes. There have been interesting interpretations of him in the past by actors such as Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Mark Gatiss. The Mycroft played by Claflin is a horrendous caricature. An uncaring chauvinist monster when he is supposed to be Sherlock's more smarter brother.

As for Sherlock Holmes himself. Of course he is meant to have a smaller supporting role in this. Expectations need to be lowered as he is played by a plank of wood. I did expect Sherlock to be more concerned about the fate of his mother and sister and open minded to the feminist bent of this story. The character is just too passive.

The film looks expensive, it is slick but also lacklustre. However I would like to see more Enola Holmes as played by Millie Bobby Brown.