Alongside her Emmy-nominated turn in Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown’s performance in 2020’s Enola Holmes established her as a bit of a force. The role gave her the opportunity to break free from the career-making but potentially restricting shackles of the Stranger Things phenomenon, and allowed her to show off her range. She returns in Enola Homes 2, this time with a producer credit, and with just as much charm as the first. Her Holmes is everything that Eleven isn’t - cheeky, playful and brash, and it’s obvious that Brown enjoys every second of inhabiting such a brazen character. It’s clearly a passion project for Brown, and there’s not a scene that passes by where her infectious joy isn’t contagious. She hurtles from one scene to the next with glee and delight. 

Alongside Millie, the rest of the film has upped its game. The script is confident and meticulous, with less frustrating tangents that divert from the main plot line than the first, and likeable supporting performances from industry heavyweights (Helena Bonham Carter, Henry Cavill) and newcomers (Louis Partridge, Hannah Dodd) alike. The humour remains the film’s strongsuit, as does the flashy, quick editing style which adds graphic novel-like character to every frame. The whole package is just rip-roaringly fun, each of its separate parts as assured as the last, and all of which revolve around Brown’s star-making turn. 

Enola Holmes 2 made headlines when it was first announced due to Brown’s salary, a figure allegedly in the region of ten million, making her the highest paid actor under the age of twenty in the history of Hollywood. It’s a daunting stat, and a stat which could surely buckle even the most robust of personalities under its pressure. But Brown clearly knows her worth, or at least her agent does, and with Enola Holmes 2, she’s worth every penny. 

Enola Holmes 2 is streaming on Netflix.