Having finally seen Wuthering Heights in the theater, it’s easy to see why the film is drawing the response that it is.
*warning: minor spoilers below for the plot of Wuthering Heights*
It was fairly easy to see from the start that this most recent take on Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights would be a polarizing one. With its striking visuals and interesting casting decisions, this was bound to be a film that audiences either loved or hated, with no room for anything in between.
Wuthering Heights
Directed by: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes
Ewan MitchellRelease Date: February 13, 2026
The film presents itself as an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel of the same name, considered a classic of Gothic romance to this day. The story recounts the tragic and twisted lives of Cathy Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and her adopted brother Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) and their doomed love for each other.
Let’s start with the positive parts of this film. Despite all the vitriol Wuthering Heights is receiving, there are a few things to like about it. The set design for much of the film is striking and quite beautiful. The bold colors, while anachronistic, ensure that each scene in the Linton mansion is etched into your mind. I was particularly struck by the use of bright reds in many of the sets and costumes.
The costume design was a definite highlight in this film also. I’m not sure how historically accurate all of the costumes are, but Margot Robbie wears some of the most gorgeous dresses I’ve ever seen once her character is married to Edgar Linton.
As far as the actors go, Jacob Elordi is the best part of the story with his performance as Heathcliff. Even though his character is vastly toned down from the novel, Elordi’s Heathcliff is a brutish menace and he dominates almost every scene he appears in. I did find myself wishing that the story had been less toned down because I think Elordi would’ve been capable of portraying just how fully monstrous Heathcliff could be.
The bulk of the film, sadly, struck me as being sorely lacking in a number of areas. I understand why the choice was made to condense the story of Wuthering Heights but it was also the wrong choice to make. There are certain details that need to be shared in order to fully appreciate some of these characters. With those details missing, a lot of potential character development is non-existent, which further hurts the story.
Then there’s the casting of Margot Robbie as Cathy Earnshaw. It pains me to say this as I’ve been a fan of Robbie’s work for years, but she was badly miscast in the role of Cathy. Most of the scenes she shares with Elordi were awkward at best, it almost felt like they were acting in two separate stories at the same time. Perhaps if someone else had been cast as Heathcliff, it would’ve been less obvious, but the contrast with Elordi did Robbie’s acting no favors. It all just…rang hollow. Even in scenes that were clearly meant to be deeply emotional, nothing seemed to connect in the way it should.
What really upset me, once I realized what was going on, is how the film changed Heathcliff’s relationship with Isabella, his unhappy wife. For context, in the source novel, Heathcliff is an absolute monster to this poor woman, literally driving her into insanity and death before the tale is over. Changing that into a relationship that bordered on extreme BDSM is a choice that does not sit well with me at all. It creates the idea that Isabelle has consented, on some level, to the barbaric treatment she receives from Heathcliff and that is simply not how the story goes.
Condensing a story for the sake of an adaptation is one thing, but altering one of the fundamental pillars of the story is a step too far. It only added to the feeling of “wrongness” that pervaded the bulk of this film. While everything looks pretty, none of it connects and it all feels hollow.
Wuthering Heights is not a complete disaster, as I have seen movies much worse than this. However, it is a deeply flawed production that is almost undone in places by the choices that were made. If you must watch a film version of this story, check out the 1939 version starring Laurence Olivier, it was a much better take on the story.
