Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights movie review story begins with a very different take on Emily Brontë’s classic novel. Starring Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, the 2026 film reshapes the familiar tragic romance into something much more sensual, stylized and deliberately provocative. Warner Bros. lists Fennell as both director and screenwriter, with Robbie, Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell among the principal cast.

That makes the biggest question slightly more complicated than simply asking whether the movie is “good.” If you are looking for a faithful adaptation of Brontë’s novel, a conventional period romance, or a visually extravagant reinterpretation built around desire and obsession, you may have very different reactions. This Wuthering Heights movie review breaks down the story, performances, adaptation choices, strengths, weaknesses and mature content so you can decide what kind of viewing experience to expect.

Is Wuthering Heights Worth Watching?

Yes, if you are interested in a highly stylized, sensual and unconventional interpretation of the classic story—but expectations matter.

Fennell clearly does not approach the novel as a museum piece. The film emphasizes the obsessive attraction between Cathy and Heathcliff, surrounds them with elaborate production design, and introduces modern musical and visual choices, including original music associated with Charli XCX.

Critics have described the result in very different ways. Some have praised its boldness and ability to make the material feel contemporary, while others have argued that the spectacle comes at the expense of emotional depth.

That disagreement is useful for prospective viewers. The film’s biggest strength and biggest weakness are closely connected: it has a very strong visual and sensual identity, but that identity can sometimes overpower the quieter emotional and psychological complexity associated with Brontë’s novel.

So if you enjoy daring literary adaptations that take substantial creative liberties, there is plenty here to examine. If you want a restrained, faithful Victorian adaptation, this version may feel much further from the book than expected.

What Is Wuthering Heights About?

At its center, Wuthering Heights is the story of Cathy Earnshaw and Heathcliff, two people whose intense childhood bond develops into an obsessive and destructive adult relationship.

Cathy grows up at Wuthering Heights, where her father eventually brings the orphaned Heathcliff into the household. The two become deeply attached, but their different social positions and Cathy’s later relationship with the wealthy Edgar Linton create a division between them.

When Heathcliff leaves, Cathy is eventually drawn into a more socially acceptable life with Edgar. Years later, Heathcliff returns wealthy and changed, reopening the emotional wound between them. Their attraction has never disappeared, but neither has the resentment, jealousy and pride that made their relationship destructive in the first place.

The Story Without Major Spoilers

The basic setup will be familiar to readers of Brontë, but Fennell’s presentation is much less traditional.

Rather than treating Cathy and Heathcliff as a conventional romantic couple, the movie places their attraction at the center of an almost feverish emotional world. Their relationship is driven by desire, jealousy and possessiveness, while social expectations continually push them in different directions.

The story also gives important roles to Edgar Linton, Isabella and Nelly Dean. Hong Chau’s Nelly is particularly significant because the character functions as an observer and participant in the events surrounding Cathy and Heathcliff.

The result is less a gentle period romance and more a story about what happens when intense attraction, social pressure and destructive behavior become impossible to separate.

Wuthering Heights Movie Review: Does the Story Work as a Modern Adaptation?

This is where reactions to the movie become particularly divided.

Fennell’s adaptation works best when it treats Cathy and Heathcliff’s attraction as something visceral rather than polite. Their relationship is supposed to feel unhealthy, consuming and difficult to control, and the film is willing to make that quality highly visible.

Screen Daily describes the movie as being governed by lust, anger and sorrow, while also noting that its emotional intensity can become excessively melodramatic. NME, by contrast, argues that viewers willing to accept the film on its own terms may find its bold reinterpretation invigorating.

The problem is that intensity is not automatically the same thing as emotional depth.

Some scenes communicate attraction extremely effectively, but other moments can feel more like carefully designed images of passion than fully developed emotional experiences. RogerEbert.com’s review similarly observes that the chemistry between Robbie and Elordi can be strongest when their characters are yearning for each other, while some intimate scenes feel less convincing once the desire becomes physically realized.

That distinction matters because Brontë’s story depends on more than attraction. It is also about pride, class, resentment, self-destruction and the consequences of choosing one kind of life over another.

Fennell’s movie clearly understands the destructive side of the relationship. The debate is over whether the film gives the characters enough psychological depth to make that destruction as affecting as it should be.

Wuthering Heights Movie Review: How Are Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi?

The casting gives the movie immediate star power, and both performers commit strongly to Fennell’s heightened approach.

Warner Bros. officially identifies Robbie and Elordi as the central stars, with Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles.

Margot Robbie as Cathy

Robbie plays Cathy as impulsive, selfish, emotionally intense and deeply conscious of the difference between what she wants and what society expects from her.

That makes her interpretation deliberately difficult at times.

Cathy is not presented simply as an innocent heroine trapped by circumstances. Her own decisions contribute to the destruction around her. NME specifically notes Robbie’s willingness to emphasize Cathy’s brattiness and selfishness, while Screen Daily describes her as a woman who chooses pragmatism over love and later suffers the consequences.

Whether viewers connect with that interpretation will depend heavily on how they expect Cathy to be portrayed.

Robbie’s performance fits Fennell’s more exaggerated vision, but viewers looking for a quieter, more psychologically restrained Cathy may find the characterization too deliberately heightened.

Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff

Elordi’s Heathcliff is built around physical presence, anger and attraction.

The movie clearly wants him to register as an outsider who commands attention whenever he enters a scene. NME highlights his regional accent and combustible magnetism, while Screen Daily notes the way his performance contributes to the film’s feverish emotional atmosphere.

But the performance has also been criticized for being too limited emotionally. Time Out, for example, argues that the film’s Heathcliff lacks some of the wild charisma associated with the literary character.

That creates an interesting split: Elordi unquestionably has screen presence, but whether that presence develops into a fully convincing Heathcliff is more debatable.

Do Robbie and Elordi Have Convincing Chemistry?

Their chemistry is strongest when Cathy and Heathcliff are separated by circumstances and are visibly consumed by the possibility of being together.

Several critics have recognized that quality while disagreeing about the eventual payoff. RogerEbert.com’s review argues that the pair’s chemistry can be more convincing in moments of longing than in some of their actual intimate scenes.

The movie successfully communicates physical attraction. The more complicated question is whether it consistently communicates the deeper emotional connection that makes Cathy and Heathcliff’s relationship feel like something larger than lust.

For some viewers, the heightened sexuality will make the romance more immediate. For others, it may make the relationship feel narrower than it should.

Wuthering Heights Movie Review: How Different Is It From Emily Brontë’s Novel?

Quite different.

This is one of the most important things to understand before watching the film.

Fennell’s Wuthering Heights is better understood as a reinterpretation of Brontë’s story than as a strict page-to-screen translation. NME explicitly describes it as a warning against expecting complete fidelity, while RogerEbert.com calls it a very loose interpretation.

What the Movie Keeps

The film retains the central foundations:

• Cathy and Heathcliff’s childhood bond
• Their powerful attraction
• Cathy’s relationship with Edgar Linton
• Heathcliff’s departure and eventual return
• The role of social class
• Jealousy and revenge
• The destructive consequences of their relationship
• Nelly’s important position within the story

So the recognizable skeleton of Wuthering Heights is still there.

What the Movie Changes

Fennell substantially changes the tone and emphasis.

The adaptation places much greater weight on:

• sexuality
• visual extravagance
• contemporary musical choices
• provocative humor
• heightened physical desire
• deliberately modern styling
• a more theatrical interpretation of the characters

The film was also shot on film and uses the Yorkshire landscape, elaborate production design and strong color contrasts to create a highly stylized world. Screen Daily specifically highlights the contrast between the decaying Wuthering Heights and the more luxurious Linton home.

The result is not designed to feel like a conventional Victorian literary adaptation.

What Book Readers Should Expect

If you love Brontë’s novel primarily for its complicated narration, psychological ambiguity and broader generational structure, you should approach this movie as Fennell’s interpretation, not as a replacement for the book.

If you are comfortable with filmmakers radically reshaping classic material, the changes may be part of the appeal.

In other words, the right question is not:

“Did Fennell reproduce the book exactly?”

She did not.

The more useful question is:

“Does Fennell’s new interpretation successfully transform the central ideas of the book into her own cinematic language?”

That answer will depend heavily on how much you value fidelity versus reinvention.

What Does Wuthering Heights Do Well?

The Visual Identity Is Unmistakable

The film has a strong aesthetic personality.

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren and production designer Suzie Davies create a world that moves between rugged Yorkshire landscapes, atmospheric interiors and highly elaborate social spaces. Screen Daily specifically highlights the film’s fog, candle-lit scenes, stairways, moors and carefully designed color contrasts.

This is not a movie that looks generic.

Even critics who disliked aspects of the storytelling have acknowledged the scale and visual ambition.

The Movie Commits to Its Interpretation

Fennell does not seem interested in making a safe version of Wuthering Heights.

The contemporary music, exaggerated sexuality, unusual design choices and heightened performances all communicate the same basic idea: this is a filmmaker putting a personal stamp on a familiar story.

NME considers that boldness one of the film’s strengths, describing the movie as a modern remix of the classic material.

The Central Relationship Has Real Energy

Even reviewers who question the emotional depth often acknowledge the magnetism between the leads.

The movie understands that Cathy and Heathcliff should not feel like a comfortable couple. Their attraction is supposed to be destabilizing.

That quality comes through particularly well during moments when they are pulled toward each other despite knowing that their choices can cause damage.

The Soundtrack Reinforces the Modern Approach

Charli XCX’s contribution is another major departure from the traditional period-film formula.

Rather than hiding the contemporary musical influence, the film uses it as part of its identity. NME describes the soundtrack as emblematic of the film’s approach: classic material filtered through a modern pop sensibility.

That choice will not appeal to everyone, but it makes the adaptation immediately recognizable.

What Doesn’t Work in Wuthering Heights?

Style Can Overwhelm Character

This is probably the most important criticism to understand.

The movie is so committed to visual and sensual excess that the characters can sometimes feel like parts of the design rather than fully developed people.

The Guardian’s review argues that the adaptation is much more interested in production design than character, while The New Yorker similarly describes it as an extravagant adaptation that does not fully explore the depths of Brontë’s characters.

The deeper issue is that the more the film relies on external spectacle to communicate emotion, the less room there can be for quieter psychological development.

The Romance May Feel More Physical Than Emotional

The film clearly establishes desire.

The harder task is making the audience understand why Cathy and Heathcliff are emotionally inseparable despite everything that happens between them.

Some critics felt that the movie does not consistently reach that deeper level. RogerEbert.com’s review specifically distinguishes between the intensity of the characters’ longing and the weaker impact of some intimate scenes.

For viewers who want the romance to feel tragic and spiritually overwhelming, this may be a significant weakness.

The Melodrama Can Become Excessive

The film operates at a very high emotional volume.

That is intentional, but it means there are fewer quiet spaces.

Screen Daily praises the flamboyant flourishes while acknowledging that the approach can become excessively brooding and melodramatic.

If you enjoy heightened gothic melodrama, this may be exactly what you want.

If you prefer subtle emotional development, the constant intensity may become tiring.

The Adaptation Simplifies Some of Brontë’s Complexity

A film cannot reproduce every element of a novel, but the changes here are particularly substantial.

The Guardian and other critics have pointed to the reduction or alteration of some of the book’s broader complexity, including its later material and narrative structure.

That does not automatically make the adaptation unsuccessful. It does mean that the movie should be judged partly on its own ambitions rather than solely on how closely it reproduces Brontë.

What Kind of Movie Is Wuthering Heights?

Calling it simply a romance is not quite enough.

The movie combines several modes:

• Gothic romance
• Period drama
• Erotic melodrama
• Psychological relationship drama
• Dark comedy
• Stylized literary adaptation

The official classification information identifies the film as drama, fantasy and romance.

But its tone is much more specific than those broad genre labels suggest.

This is a movie about obsession rather than healthy romance.

Cathy and Heathcliff do not represent an uncomplicated ideal relationship. Their attraction is intertwined with jealousy, social expectations, anger and destructive choices.

The movie deliberately pushes those elements toward the surface.

So if you expect a traditional costume romance with restrained dialogue and historical realism, the film may surprise you.

If you expect something closer to Fennell’s deliberately provocative style, its approach will make more sense.

What Should Viewers Know About the Mature Content?

This is an important part of this Wuthering Heights movie review because the film is not a conventional family-friendly literary adaptation.

The British Board of Film Classification lists the movie for disturbing images, strong sex, sex references and language, with additional content categories including violence, themes, threat/horror, discrimination and drugs.

Sexual Content and Nudity

There are several sexual scenes and recurring sexual references.

New Zealand’s Classification Office also notes suggestive references and several sex scenes, while indicating that there is relatively little nudity.

The sexual material is not incidental to the movie. It is part of the way Fennell presents Cathy and Heathcliff’s obsessive relationship.

Violence and Disturbing Material

The film also contains disturbing material, including imagery connected with death, physical deterioration and other upsetting events.

The mature material becomes particularly important during the later stages of the story.

Language and Mature Themes

Viewers should also expect adult themes involving:

• obsession
• emotional manipulation
• jealousy
• domestic cruelty
• death
• grief
• class inequality
• destructive relationships

The BBFC specifically includes disturbing images, language and mature themes in its classification information.

For Indian viewers, the Central Board of Film Certification lists the movie as A, confirming that it is intended for adult audiences in India.

Who Is Wuthering Heights Best Suited For?

The movie’s appeal depends heavily on what you want from a literary adaptation.

You May Appreciate It If You Enjoy:

• visually ambitious period films
• gothic romance
• dark and obsessive relationships
• highly stylized filmmaking
• provocative reinterpretations of classics
• Margot Robbie or Jacob Elordi
• Emerald Fennell’s previous work
• contemporary music used in unusual cinematic settings
• adaptations that take creative liberties

You May Be Less Satisfied If You Want:

• close fidelity to Brontë’s novel
• restrained performances
• conventional historical realism
• subtle romantic storytelling
• extensive psychological development
• a traditional Victorian atmosphere
• a film that treats every part of the novel with equal attention

That distinction is more useful than simply calling the film “good” or “bad.”

A viewer who values visual invention may focus on qualities that another viewer sees as excessive. Likewise, a Brontë reader who prioritizes fidelity may react differently from someone encountering the story for the first time.

Wuthering Heights Movie Review FAQ

Do You Need to Read the Novel Before Watching Wuthering Heights?

No. The basic relationship and central conflict can be understood without reading Emily Brontë’s novel first.

However, knowing the book will make the film’s changes easier to recognize. The movie takes substantial liberties with the source material, so readers should not expect a scene-for-scene adaptation.

Is Wuthering Heights a Horror Movie?

Not primarily. It is classified as drama, fantasy and romance, although it contains dark, disturbing and gothic elements.

The atmosphere can be unsettling, but the central focus is Cathy and Heathcliff’s destructive relationship.

Is Wuthering Heights a Faithful Adaptation of the Book?

No, not in a strict sense. Fennell makes significant changes to the tone, presentation, sexuality, music, visual style and emphasis of the original story. Critics have repeatedly described it as a loose or highly stylized adaptation.

Is the Wuthering Heights Movie Appropriate for Teenagers?

The answer depends on age and local classification, but this is not a family-friendly adaptation. The BBFC lists strong sex, sex references, disturbing images and language, while India’s CBFC lists the film as A.

Who Plays Cathy and Heathcliff?

Margot Robbie plays Cathy Earnshaw, while Jacob Elordi plays Heathcliff. The supporting cast includes Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell.

Does the Movie Have a Modern Soundtrack?

Yes. Charli XCX contributed original music to the project, and the soundtrack is an important part of Fennell’s contemporary reinterpretation of the classic story.

Where Can You Watch Wuthering Heights?

The official Warner Bros. movie site currently lists Wuthering Heights as available digitally and on 4K Ultra HD. Availability can vary by country and platform.

Final Thoughts on Wuthering Heights

This Wuthering Heights movie review comes down to one important point: Emerald Fennell’s film is best understood as a personal reinterpretation of Emily Brontë rather than a traditional adaptation.

Its strongest qualities are easy to identify: striking cinematography, elaborate production design, committed performances, an unusually contemporary soundtrack and a willingness to make the destructive attraction between Cathy and Heathcliff physically and visually explicit.

Its weaknesses come from many of the same choices. The constant visual and emotional intensity can sometimes leave less room for the psychological complexity that makes Brontë’s novel so enduring. That is why critical reactions have been sharply divided: some reviewers see the film’s excess as the point, while others believe the style overwhelms the substance.

So the most useful takeaway is simple: don’t watch this Wuthering Heights expecting a conservative literary adaptation. Watch it expecting Fennell’s deliberately sensual, contemporary and highly stylized version of Cathy and Heathcliff’s tragic relationship.

If that sounds like the kind of adaptation you want, the film offers plenty to discuss. If your priority is fidelity to Brontë’s original structure and psychological depth, it is worth going in with cautious expectations.