Anyone who’s ever read “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë, whether on their own volition or because their high school English curriculum made them, has been anticipating Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Brontë’s book.
Let me preface this review by saying that, as readers, we tend to react strongly when our favorite storylines are altered in any way, but I believe that the outrage before a movie’s release is often exaggerated.
Sometimes, a skilled director can create something extraordinary and unique while adapting a book for the screen, and we should allow creators to create and appreciate what they have to offer.
However, this is not the case for Fennell’s adaptation of “Wuthering Heights.” I don’t think it was fair for it to be made as an “adaptation” rather than something of its own creation.
This movie starts on the wrong note right off the bat. The opening credits introduce the audience to what seems like auditory arousal. The black screen then revealed the image of a man being hanged and a crowd watching in a way that they’re almost aroused by the brutality.
Is this a significant plot point that justifies the graphic nature of the scene? Nope.
These opening moments serve as the perfect epitome of the film: it draws from what is already considered unsettling material, then ventures into a much darker and kinkier territory.
While it is indeed shocking, there is very little substance to any of it.
The romanticism of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw’s relationship, which acts as the major plot point of Fennel’s adaptation, is entirely misconstrued. I will say, though, the TikTok edits are fun to watch.
The purpose of Brontë’s novel is to convey how ambiguity and unresolved emotions can lead to generational destruction and trauma. The main themes of the novel do not rely as heavily on the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff as they did in the movie adaptation.
Some major discourse on the internet depicts Nelly as a villain in this great love story. In Brontë’s novel, Nelly’s character is used to convey how ambiguity and unreliability in a narrator can shift the way an audience is able to perceive. This adaptation fails to capture that nuance.
Another major failure of Fennel’s adaptation is the way Heathcliff’s and Isabella’s relationship is portrayed. In the book, Isabella becomes subject to Heathcliff’s anger and vengeful behavior. He is abusive and isolating, prompting her to beg Nelly for help.
Fennel portrays this abuse in a very sexualized manner. It feels as though the director is attempting to romanticize Heathcliff’s destructive tendencies to make him more appealing to the audience.
On its own, the movie has the potential to be a cinematic masterpiece. However, its connection to Brontë’s classic novel removes it from its own potential.
