![]() Perfectly cast in all four of the lead roles (and with a special nod to Louis Partridge as Tewkesbury), Enola Holmesis a vehicle for Millie Bobby Brown to explore the outer limits of her brother Sherlock's story and the idea he might not be entirely infallible. But it was definitely time for the equally countless attempts to reinterpret Holmes to stand aside for a whole and allow for something different and Netflix managed that feat impressively this year with Enola Holmes. Sherlock Holmes exists in that special artistic space of being so familiar that the simple image of a hat or a pipe is immediately evocative of him and yet manages to avoid outstaying his welcome despite countless adaptations. That it managed to so openly set up a sequel without it feeling cynical is testament to how welcome a return for these characters will be. The Old Guard impressed most in its action sequences, which were hard-hitting and imaginative, but there's also a lot to be said for the movie's commitment to the kind of diversity in gender and sexuality of its heroes that the MCU and DCEU should be envious of. That was largely thanks to the relatable performances of the cast (and Charlize Theron in particular) and the accessibility of hating the villain (played by Harry Melling). Based on Greg Rucka's comic and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the Netflix original took what amounted to a particularly high-concept conceit - the idea of immortal mercenaries hunted as test subjects - and made it feel impressively grounded. Netflix has a particularly strong recent track record in action movies, perhaps buoyed by how well even the less impressively crafted ones (like the passable Ava) tend to do with their audience and The Old Guard was a real stand-out. The cast - amassing an eye-watering pile of talent including Sacha Baron Cohen, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Frank Langhella and Mark Rylance among others - is stunning and the performances great, and the true testament to its success is that is remarkably restrained in the face of what must have been the irresistible potential for Sorkin to really let fly. ![]() That does come with the unfortunate trade-off in how Bobby Seale's defiant stand against corruption and racism is depicted (as he's too easily silenced compared to the true story), but generally speaking, most of the changes to the real Chicago 7 story are defendable. ![]() ![]() There are, somewhat inevitably, creative liberties taken in the name of story-telling - Sorkin, after all, is no documentarian - but almost everything is in service to crafting a message that resonates with modern audiences. It should go without saying, by now, that Aaron Sorkin knows how to craft a compelling tale, and when he's dealing with real-world material with considerable weight behind it, the master writer turned director dials up his characteristic deftness of touch. ![]()
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