Movie evaluate: ‘Wuthering Heights’ | Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch

Movie evaluate: ‘Wuthering Heights’

Published 2:42 pm Friday, February 20, 2026

“Wuthering Heights” had me in a chokehold till the closing credit. From the romantic, red-hot chemistry between Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, to the gorgeous costumes and set design, this film is catnip for girls (and don’t fear, males will prefer it too). 

Though very completely different from the supply materials, author/director Emerald Fennell leans into the attractive, gothic environment of 1800s English moors for a wind-swept story of lust, love, and twisted revenge, set to the richly textured soundtrack from Charlie XCX.

Loosely based mostly on a portion of Emily Brontë’s 1847 traditional novel, “Wuthering Heights” focuses on the connection between Catherine “Cathy” (Robbie) and Heathcliff (Elordi) from youth to maturity. As a younger lady, Cathy lives together with her alcoholic father within the moors of Yorkshire, England. One day, her father brings house a younger boy that he has rescued from the streets, telling Cathy the boy might be her pet. The two develop into quick associates, with Cathy naming him Heathcliff after her deceased brother. Now inseparable, the duo spend most of their days enjoying exterior and Cathy even tries to show him the right way to learn, with the assistance of her companion Nelly (Hong Chau).

But as time goes on, their relationship begins to have extra of a romantic angle, particularly when Heathcliff saves Cathy from a beating by her father, as a substitute taking the punishment on himself. As they attain maturity, the attraction between them grows stronger, however Cathy’s father’s ingesting and playing have left the property in disrepair. Cathy must marry wealthy to make sure the safety of herself and the family, and Heathcliff has nothing to his title. Now Cathy should determine if her love of Heathcliff is price risking the monetary safety she is aware of will include marrying somebody of excessive wealth and standing.

So a lot of the movie (and its press tour) stay and die with the chemistry between Elordi and Robbie and for sure, that uncooked, unbridled ardour is what is going to actually draw you in. They are capable of make what some could possibly be perceived as unbearable characters really likable — I used to be really rooting for his or her extraordinarily poisonous relationship to work out in the long run. And I felt a bit disgusted at myself for doing so. Much additionally must be mentioned for the implausible efficiency by Alison Oliver, who steals each scene she’s in as Isabella, a future pawn in Heathcliff and Cathy’s psychological gamesmanship. Oliver’s capacity to convey Isabella’s schoolgirl innocence makes Heathcliff’s flip that rather more depraved… one thing even the largest Elordi fangirls can’t make excuses for (imagine me, I attempted).

It’s truthful to criticize the movie for its straying from the supply materials and rejecting lots of the themes that ebook readers respect about Bronte’s masterpiece. Admittedly, “Wuthering Heights” isn’t a sacred textual content to me, so I used to be not as bothered by such a big change. Especially as a result of going into the movie, I knew it was going to be completely different. Fennell was clear from early on that this adaptation of the story was going to diverge considerably from the supply materials; this is the reason the title deliberately has quotations. Instead of specializing in the modifications, I loved the film for what it was, a visually putting, poisonous romance. I simply wish to clearly warning that these anticipating a strict ebook adaptation must know what they’re going into and put together accordingly.

I knew I used to be going to love “Wuthering Heights,” however I didn’t know simply how a lot I used to be going to like it. More than something, the movie (and its press tour) began to barely conjure emotions from my “Titanic”-obsessed adolescence, the place I watched the movie time and again in theaters and devoured something the actors did to advertise the movie. Will I watch this movie as many occasions as I did “Titanic?” No, however I’ll undoubtedly be seeing it once more in theaters… and I implore you to see it in theaters as nicely. The good rating, attractive cinematography, and Elordi and Robbie’s lovely faces must be loved on the loudest, crispest display you will discover.

My evaluate: A