Wuthering Heights review: Emerald Fennell’s radical revamp will almost certainly provoke pearl-clutching

by

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Emerald Fennell, the Oscar-winning director of Promising Young Woman, delivers a fresh and exciting take on Emily Brontë’s classic gothic romance. This new film adaptation is both funny and dramatic, full of passion and intensity.

Writer and director Fennell delivers a fresh take on the story, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. She boldly reimagines it, cutting the plot in half and adding a significant amount of sensuality, making it distinctly her own.

The story begins with young Heathcliff and Cathy, played by Owen Cooper and Charlotte Mellington, meeting when Cathy’s father, Mr. Earnshaw (Martin Clunes), takes Heathcliff in. He rescues Heathcliff from a beating in the street, possibly at the hands of his own father. Though Earnshaw sometimes mistreats Heathcliff, the two children quickly become close friends, and their bond deepens into a passionate romance as they grow older.

The relationship ends when Cathy, now an adult and played by Robbie, chooses to marry the wealthy Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) in an attempt to save her family from financial hardship. Devastated, Heathcliff (Elordi) flees.

Cathy is heartbroken at first, but gradually starts to feel happy with her new life. Her loving husband and his sister, Isabella (Alison Oliver), who is a bit overly attentive, spoil her with gifts and affection. Five years later, Heathcliff unexpectedly returns – now wealthy, charming, and strikingly handsome with a new look – and Cathy finds herself drawn to him despite everything.

In this adaptation, Nelly isn’t telling the story like she does in the book, but she still observes everything and we often see Heathcliff and Cathy’s relationship through her perspective. Portrayed by Hong Chau, Nelly is a woman of color who is revealed to be the illegitimate daughter of a lord. She begins as a companion to Cathy, but when Heathcliff appears, Cathy rejects her, and Nelly is relegated to the position of a servant, forced to cater to her mistress’s erratic behavior.

By giving Nelly a more developed personality and hinting that her past influences her unfortunate situation, the novel addresses worries about minimizing the impact of Heathcliff’s own background. Heathcliff, who is described as being of Romani descent or another ethnicity, clearly faces hardship and romantic disappointment partly because of his uncertain racial identity.

If actor Jacob Elordi’s casting as this character overshadows a key part of the role, it’s made even more complicated by the fact that another actor of colour, Latif, plays Heathcliff’s rival, Edgar – a character who holds a higher social status.

Despite a few questionable choices and uneven moments, Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights is surprisingly fun and engaging. The soundtrack, featuring Charli XCX, is fantastic, and the film playfully satirizes the wealthy Linton family – Oliver is a particularly hilarious character.

The film is visually stunning, especially after Cathy moves to Thrushcross Grange. The production design becomes incredibly elaborate, filling the screen with vibrant reds, pinks, and whites – it’s like an over-the-top Valentine’s Day. The romance is much more intense and explicit than in the book, featuring even some BDSM elements as Cathy and Heathcliff become passionately involved.

The genuine emotion in the storytelling and performances clearly shows Fennell’s own love for the source material. This adaptation powerfully captures the intense, passionate, and ultimately damaging connection between Heathcliff and Cathy, bringing a lot of energy to the screen. Robbie and Elordi have fantastic chemistry together.

I have to say, Jacob Elordi really surprised me with his take on Heathcliff. He nails that rough Yorkshire accent – I kept getting flashes of both ‘Lady Chatterley’ and Sean Bean in ‘Sharpe’! And Florence Pugh? She’s absolutely brilliant, bringing that same sparkle and intelligence we saw in ‘Barbie’ to a character who’s both spoiled and heartbreaking. The sets are a little over-the-top at times, but the real standout might be Chau as Nelly. She plays it so subtly, so restrained, that she almost walks away with the whole film – it’s a quietly powerful performance.

This new film of Wuthering Heights is a bold and visually striking take on the classic story. While it’s beautifully made and emotionally resonant, it’s likely to upset those who prefer a more traditional adaptation.

Want to see this content?

This content is blocked by Google reCAPTCHA. To see it, please sign out of your Contentpass account.

Authors

Emma Simmonds

Read More

2026-02-10 15:35