WIRE Buzz: Enola Holmes reviews; The Seed takes root; Jurassic World: Dominion duet

Is Sherlock's little sister worth your time in Enola Holmes?

According to the first reviews for the upcoming Netflix release, the answer is elementary, our dear Watson! In other words, critics are seriously fawning over Millie Bobby Brown's young Victorian-era sleuth in the adaptation of Nancy Springer's YA novel series. After her success with Stranger Things, Brown may have another budding franchise in the offing — one that places an important spotlight on young female empowerment.

"Director Bradbeer and editor Adam Bosman maintain a jaunty pace throughout, propelled by DP Giles Nuttgens’ dynamic camera, whose CG-embellished widescreen compositions subvert the stuffy Merchant Ivory-esque locations with a Kingsman-esque pop energy," writes Variety's Peter Debruge, adding that Enola "seems every bit as suited to sequels as that franchise."

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter states that Brown "gets to drop the layers of anxiety and trauma that make [Stranger Things' Eleven] such a compelling character. While no one will ever accuse the picture of overestimating its viewers' intelligence — Jack Thorne's script rarely misses the chance to drive a moral point home with one more pound to the head of the nail — it successfully imagines a place for its heroine in Holmes' world, then convinces young viewers that Enola needn't be constrained by that world's borders."

Collider's Matt Goldberg is of the opinion that the film is "among the top tier" of PG-rated offerings: "The plotting is sharp, the characters are endearing, the adventure is exhilarating, and the direction is superb. If this is the beginning of a franchise, then Brown has chosen an excellent vehicle for herself, and I can’t wait to see the young Ms. Holmes solve more mysteries."

Empire's Ella Kemp concludes the following sentiment: "Well-intentioned if sometimes lacking in subtlety, Enola Holmes offers a fine, spirited reminder that a traditional story can always be retold — although it might need more refined teachings on feminism next time."

Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin co-star as the main character's more famous brothers: Sherlock and Mycroft. Helena Bonham Carter takes on the role of their mother, Eudoria, whose mysterious disappearance kicks off the plot. Adeel Akhtar, Fiona Shaw, Frances de la Tour, Louis Partridge, Susie Wokoma, and Burn Gorman are also a part of the cast.

Enola Holmes arrives on Netflix Friday, Sept. 23.

Deadline brings word that production has kicked off for The Seed, a U.K.-based indie genre project.

The shoot is taking place in Malta, a country that recently saw a spike in COVID-19 cases, prompting Jurassic World: Dominion's second unit to reduce its presence there. Nevertheless, The Seed "is a rare example of a project to have been fully packaged and financed during lockdown," writes Deadline.

Directed by Sam Walker in his feature debut, the film centers around three social media influencers who plan to film a meteor shower in the middle of the California wilderness for their channels. Their getaway to a luxury villa takes a turn into sci-fi territory when an alien invasion full of death and horror is added to the agenda. Chelsea Edge (The Missing), Lucy Martin (Vikings), and Sophie Vavasseur (Resident Evil: Apocalypse) are set to play the influencers.

Here's some out-of-this-world concept art:

"I wanted to make a movie about the way social media is invading our minds and destroying the very fabric of society. The world also appears to have gone completely insane and it feels like the perfect time to be making a bat s*** crazy, sci-fi horror film like The Seed," Walker said in a statement to Deadline.

And now, for your daily moment of zen: a soothing piano duet between the legendary Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum. In a video posted to Twitter, the Jurassic Park OGs sing a song entitled "I Remember You." It's a fitting title as the two actors are reuniting after all these years for next summer's Jurassic World: Dominion. They'll be reprising their roles as Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm.

Take a look and allow their angelic voices serenade you on this lovely Labor Day:

Neill and Goldblum aren't the only JP veterans to make their triumphant return to the dino-centric franchise. Laura Dern is also coming back to play Dr. Ellie Sattler. Classic characters like Henry Wu (BD Wong) and Lewis Dogdson (Campbell Scott replacing Cameron Thor) are coming back as well. And don't worry, Alan, Ian, and Ellie won't just have glorified cameos as Goldblum did in Fallen Kingdom. They're gonna be instrumental to the plot all the way through.

Colin Trevorrow returns to direct Jurassic World: Dominion, working from a screenplay he co-wrote alongside Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim: Uprising). Production is currently taking place in Europe, with strict coronavirus safety measures in place.

Dominion is scheduled to stomp into theaters everywhere June 11, 2021.