Emerald Fennell’s film “Wuthering Heights” starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie premiered on Feb. 13, 2026. The film is an adaptation — or, really, a reinterpretation — of Emily Bronte’s 1847 cult novel.
Fennell focused on the turbulent love story of Catherine and Heathcliff, deliberately discarding many of the complexities of the original and completely omitting the second half of the plot.
The result is a film that feels both familiar and distinctly modern, which raises the question of how much a classic can be changed before it loses what originally made it great.
The novel is built on a surprisingly complex narrative structure: multiple narrators, layered perspectives and a storyline that continues after the death of one of the main characters, exploring the long shadow cast by Catherine and Heathcliff’s destructive relationship.
None of this is in the movie. It ends on a tragic note, without showing what happens next, and as a result, the story seems much simpler: a powerful, all-consuming love drama and nothing more.
While this simplistic approach makes the film more accessible, it also strips the story of much of its moral weight. One of the film’s greatest strengths is undoubtedly its visual style.
With a budget of $80 million, the painting impresses with a wealth of costumes and artwork. Each frame is carefully constructed — the moorlands stretch endlessly to the horizon, the interiors are dim and oppressive and the lighting changes depending on the mood of each scene.
The landscapes are breathtaking: wind, fog and vast open spaces that subtly reflect the emotional state of the characters.
The atmosphere is tense and thoughtful, but at the same time it is always strikingly beautiful. It is also worth noting that the film shows the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff in a different light than the novel.
Unlike the novel, where their bond is expressed mainly in words, separation, and inner turmoil, the film focuses on physical intimacy and raw, intuitive emotions.
Elordi and Robbieexecuted this change beautifully and the mutual affection between them is undeniable.
This approach can make the story more familiar and understandable to a modern audience, although it reduces the psychological complexity that makes the original so memorable.
In Bronte’s novel, relationships are connected not only with love, but also with power, class and wounded pride. In Fennell’s version, these aspects remain largely unexplored.
Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” is a visually stunning and emotionally intense film that nevertheless falls short of the novel in depth and substance.
The plot focuses on passion and obsession, while pushing aside social criticism, the theme of revenge and the far-reaching consequences of the choice of heroes.
In the novel, love is portrayed as a destructive force that damages not only the main characters, but also
affects generations. The film, on the contrary, is limited to a personal tragedy — intimate, magnificent and touching, but this is only half the story.
For viewers unfamiliar with the original source, this is an exciting and atmospheric spectacle. To those who love the book, it may feel like it’s lacking something essential.
For those who have yet to see the film and judge it for themselves, “Wuthering Heights” is still showing at the AMC Normal, with tickets around seven dollars.
