another movie where i liked henry cavill

and now the count is three (3) counting the Witcher. Goddammit.


credit

Before you start reading:
this is a review of Enola Holmes (2020) directed by Harry Bradbee and it contains spoilers.
Read my review on Letterboxd if you don’t want to be spoiled.

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the good: overall fun and engaging, nuanced acting despite the risk of cartoonish performance, a good management of trope-inversion up to a point, Feel-Good messages about feminism, the future and hope.

The Bad: a slow beginning, Spelling Out Absolutely Everything, and eyeroll-worthy vibes of performative wokeness™

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Yes, I watched this movie because Henry Cavill is in it and I’m still riding the Witcher high. I have no qualms admitting that. I also like Millie Bobby Brown quite a lot — people tell me she’s overrated, but I enjoyed her acting in Stranger Things — and the premise looked fun (I am not familiar with the books though) so I watched it.

I was looking for something undemanding to wind down after a heavy day — and Enola delivered. She managed to engage my brain for a couple hours and it made me itch for more, which is always a good thing, so that's a win in my book.

I started writing this entry back in September, but then things happened, and I couldn't be arsed to re-watch the movie in the meanwhile, so there might be inaccuracies. Have mercy on my scatterbrained soul.

( Rambly and spoiler-y recension under the cut )