Wuthering Heights (2026) [Film Review]: A Lush and Provocative Reimagining of a Literary Classic

Emerald Fennell approaches Wuthering Heights with striking confidence, reshaping the beloved 19th-century novel into a visually expressive and emotionally heightened period romance. Rather than offering a restrained, museum-like adaptation, she opts for a bold cinematic language that underscores the story’s obsession, longing, and social tension. The film embraces intensity from the outset, signalling that this will be a passionate and stylized interpretation rather than a conventional retelling.

Direction and Screenplay — Style with Emotional Intention

Directed and co-written by Emerald Fennell, and inspired by the timeless novel by Emily Brontë, the screenplay distills the sweeping tragedy into a more focused emotional journey. Fennell’s approach favours atmosphere and mood, exploring the destructive magnetism between its central characters. While some narrative beats feel streamlined, the filmmaker ensures that the core themes of desire, pride, and revenge remain powerfully intact.

The dialogue carries a theatrical flair, often heightened and poetic, reinforcing the operatic nature of the story. Fennell’s commitment to tone is evident in every creative choice, from pacing to framing, giving the film a distinctive identity within the long history of adaptations.

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi — A Magnetic Pairing

At the heart of the film are compelling performances from Margot Robbie as Catherine and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. Robbie portrays Catherine as fiercely independent and emotionally volatile, balancing vulnerability with defiance. Her performance captures the character’s internal conflict between societal expectations and personal desire.

Elordi’s Heathcliff radiates intensity and wounded pride. His brooding presence lends the character a dangerous allure, making his transformation from neglected outsider to determined avenger feel believable and layered. Together, Robbie and Elordi share palpable chemistry, especially in moments of suppressed longing and emotional confrontation. Their connection anchors the film, even when stylistic flourishes dominate the frame.

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Strong Supporting Performances Add Depth

The supporting cast strengthens the emotional texture of the narrative. Hong Chau brings quiet gravitas to her role, offering a grounded presence amid the swirling passions of the central couple. Shazad Latif portrays Edgar with refinement and restraint, embodying the social stability that contrasts Heathcliff’s untamed spirit.

Meanwhile, Alison Oliver and Martin Clunes leave memorable impressions in roles that shape Catherine and Heathcliff’s turbulent path. Each performance contributes to a richly populated world where even secondary characters feel purposeful.

Visual Grandeur and Atmospheric World-Building

Visually, Wuthering Heights is undeniably striking. The cinematography captures windswept moors and candlelit interiors with painterly elegance. Fog-drenched landscapes and dramatic lighting reinforce the Gothic mood, immersing viewers in a world where nature mirrors emotional turmoil.

Costume and production design lean into expressive choices, sometimes blending period authenticity with stylized embellishments. While these decisions may divide traditionalists, they reflect Fennell’s desire to reframe the story for contemporary audiences. The film’s musical selections further heighten the experience, layering romance and tragedy with evocative soundscapes.

Themes of Obsession, Class, and Identity

Beyond its romance, the film thoughtfully explores class divisions and social prejudice. Catherine’s struggle between passion and status becomes a lens through which the story examines societal expectations. Heathcliff’s outsider identity fuels both his ambition and his resentment, adding moral complexity to his quest for retribution.

The adaptation emphasizes how love, when entangled with pride and inequality, can curdle into bitterness. By foregrounding these themes, the film feels relevant without sacrificing its period essence.

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Final Verdict — Imperfect Yet Captivating

Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights may not satisfy every purist, but it stands as a confident and visually ambitious retelling. Elevated by strong lead performances, striking imagery, and a bold tonal vision, the film transforms a literary staple into a sensorial cinematic experience.

Though occasionally uneven in emotional pacing, it remains compelling and memorable. For viewers open to a stylized reinterpretation of a classic romance, Wuthering Heights offers passion, beauty, and dramatic intensity worthy of its enduring legacy.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)