thedevious Reviews

Disenchantment (2018–2023)

A show greater than the sum of parts.

[8/10 · 6 February 2021]

Reviews of Disenchantment tend to focus on the perceived quality of its humor, with claims that Groening and company's style of comedy is no longer what people are looking for, and that it isn't edgy enough for modern audiences. Whether or not Disenchantment is as funny as The Simpsons and Futurama is subjective, but what really isn't is all the ways this series has evolved beyond its sister shows in terms of long-term storytelling and (gasp) character development that isn't a result of Flanderization (in fairness to Futurama, it did some of the same, but to a lesser extent).

Put simply, Disenchantment is not a situational comedy, it's a comedic adventure story about family, and a good one at that. The individual episodes may not be as strong as peak Simpsons, but the show is greater than the sum of its parts. Give it a try.

Enola Holmes (2020)

"Fun for the family (not for the fandom)."

[6/10 · 5 February 2021]

This film stirred up a lot of drama on release and got a bad reputation for it. Much of the noise centered on the historical reimagining that the filmmakers reveled in, which many reviewers took offense to, while another factor that offended viewers was Cavill's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes as both polite and all-too fallible. Both of these issues are unfounded.

The first is unfounded because Enola Holmes in no way presents itself as historical fiction. It's a comedy-adventure film based on a series of stories about a fictional detective. Expecting accuracy here is like expecting it from The Death of Stalin. The second is unfounded because, put simply, this isn't really a Sherlock Holmes film, and were Sherlock as preternaturally intelligent as he is in Doyle's stories, he'd completely overshadow the lead (which is generally not a good thing.)

Visually, the film looks great, with beautiful sets and locations, and a wonderful array of period costumes. Brown's performance really carries the film, especially in the more lighthearted moments. The other cast members were also impressive, though I did find the acting somewhat stilted during the film's exposition-heavy "serious" scenes.

This film's issues mainly stem from its overreliance on expository dialogue. It forcibly leads viewers around by the nose, treating its audience like fools all while being about as predictable as the key change in a pop song. While the 4th wall shenanigans are occasionally funny, they start to slip into the Dorra-esc in the film's back half, and I found them mostly distracting overall. The story is oddly paced and somehow overcomplicated while also being remarkable simple, so, unfortunately, the best way to watch Enola Holmes is with one's brain set to low - which isn't a great sign for a detective story.

Nonetheless, Enola Holmes is two hours worth of lighthearted adventure that many people seem to have taken way, way too seriously. It is not a Sherlock Holmes story. It isn't even much of a mystery. It's a teen adventure film and should be treated as such. If that's what you're in the market for, Enola Holmes is worth the watch, being a good-quality example of the genre. If you're looking for a proper detective flick, I'd consider looking elsewhere.