Netflix has been good to Millie Bobby Brown. She gained worldwide recognition for her role in the insanely popular Netflix streaming series “Stranger Things”, which premiered in 2016 and ran for five successful seasons. She also struck gold in 2020 with “Enola Holmes”, an infinitely charming mystery movie based on author Nancy Springer’s book series “The Enola Holmes Mysteries”. An equally delightful sequel followed in 2022, and now she’s back with the third entry.

“Enola Holmes 3” features more of the same cheeky humor and playful self-awareness that made the previous two films so enjoyable. New director Philip Barantini and returning screenwriter Jack Thorne once again tap into the comedic friction between a fiercely independent young woman clashing with the rigid norms of Victorian-era London. And they use the familiar tricks from the previous films including Enola’s witty narration and constant breaking of the fourth wall.

But while the pieces are all there and Brown is still as energetic and charismatic as ever, “Enola Holmes 3” is easily the weakest installment of the three movies. Its issues start with the central mystery which is never as cohesive or compelling as its predecessors. Plot holes and contrivances are littered throughout and become more noticeable in the second half. Thankfully Brown makes them easier to endure with her infectious spirit that pours out of a role she’s quite clearly comfortable with.

But an even bigger hurdle is the glaring on-the-nose messaging. The Enola Holmes films have always had social commentary cleverly woven into the fabric of their stories. But here it’s obvious to the point of being clunky. The movie admirably seeks to tackle the serious topic of British colonialism. But it does so with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. And while Enola’s fight for independence and autonomy has organically blended into her past stories, it’s more force-fed this time around, right through to the ham-fisted ending.

Following the events of the second film, “Enola Holmes 3” sees our titular protagonist preparing to marry Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) in a lavish ceremony in Malta. All of the pomp isn’t really Enola’s cup of tea. But Tewkesbury’s aristocratic family, led by his snooty mother (Hattie Morahan), plan a sizable wedding fit for the rich and pampered. Because she loves Tewkesbury, Enola goes along for the ride, much to the chagrin of her renowned brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill), who thinks getting married is beneath her.

Enola’s wedding day is thrown into chaos after she learns that Sherlock has gone missing, possibly kidnapped. So she leaves Tewkesbury at the alter and sets out on what is meant to be her most challenging and most dangerous case yet. But she’ll need a lot of help if she is to find Sherlock. And she gets it from a number of supporting players including Sherlock’s friend and confidant, Dr. Watson (Himesh Patel), her own radical outlaw mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), and even the heartbroken puppy dog Tewkesbury.

The mystery is its most fun early on as Enola searches for clues while remembering Sherlock’s training. The movie wastes no time leading her down a trail of arson and murder as she parses through potential suspects. Perhaps the local British government is involved. And what role does the crazed (and heavily rewritten) Professor Moriarty (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) play? Established in the previous film as a victim of a corrupt system, this Moriarty remains a dramatic shift from the criminal mastermind working from the shadows that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle envisioned.

Everything from the buildup to the inevitable clash between Enola and Moriarty underwhelms. Character motivations are murky and their actions can be even more baffling. Meanwhile Cavill’s Sherlock spends most of his time offscreen which deprives us of their playful brother/sister camaraderie. Still Brown keeps the energy high and she’s such a delight in a role she seems meant to play. Unfortunately this time around the heavy-handed material routinely lets her down.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS