Last month, the newest adaptation of Wuthering Heights was released in theatres. Some loved it, and some hated it. Here is my review of the movie and whether it’s really worth watching.
By Jayne Turner – Staff Writer
To Preface
Although I have never read Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, I went into the movie pretty blind. Aside from watching the trailer and hearing a few criticisms, I knew very little about what to expect. As someone who loves high-production-value films with stunning sets and costumes, I was excited to see what this adaptation would deliver.
The Cast
Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. Alison Oliver plays Isabella, and Shazad Latif plays Edgar. Hong Chau plays Nelly. This cast, though diverse, received criticism for the role of Heathcliff. Most fans of the novel agree that Heathcliff is a darker-skinned man – it’s even mentioned in the book. Jacob Elordi, however, is white. I didn’t feel that this adaptation had any miscasts.
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The “Adaptation”
A lot of people say that this movie completely misses the source material. Which, honestly, I understand. If I had read the book and expected that, I would have a different impression of the movie. But as a film independent of the novel, I enjoyed the movie!
Since the movie is of high quality, audiences have said that they wish it had been an entity separate from the Brontë novel. It brings up a good point, though. To what extent does an adaptation need to remain faithful to the original text?
Even when a movie is good, like this one, there are still scathing reviews, saying that this movie is a disgrace to the novel, the author, and fans alike.
The director, Emerald Fennell, is also known for directing Promising Young Woman (2020) and Saltburn (2023) and for her roles in Barbie (2023) and The Crown (2019-2020). She emphasized that she made this movie based on what she imagined when reading this book as a young teen. Though this does not necessarily excuse any poor directing choices, it is an explanation that many critics seem to be ignoring.
Her adaptation is highly stylized, horny, and disjointed. This is why the movie title comes with quotation marks around it. To try and stick this movie in any box – be it “adaptation” or historical period – would be a mistake.
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Critic Reviews
Ben Shapiro, a well-known right-wing commentator, called it “BDSM Trash,” which is dramatic given the (maybe) three scenes that blatantly contain sexual BDSM content.
The New Yorker’s film critic Justin Chang says “the actors generate sparks of passion, but no deeper air of tragic or romantic inevitability,” something that many people expect from Wuthering Heights.
Overall, many literature lovers are upset.
My Closing Thoughts
As a standalone film, this movie was great for a viewer like me. A fan of that over-the-top, colorful, sexy plotline that Saltburn and any Baz Luhrmann film gives us. However, I can see how true fans of the book would be disappointed. Overall, it was a good film. I do not doubt that it will win something in the upcoming awards season, but it isn’t something that I’ll be rewatching.
