JAN MOIR on Wuthering Heights: For any woman who’s dreamed of driving a man mad with desire or having her bodice ripped off, this is the goth porn film for you!

by

Early reviews of Emerald Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights‘ are harsh, the kind a director would prefer to read privately with a comforting drink and snack.

Critics weren’t impressed with Emerald Fennell’s new film adaptation of ‘Wuthering Heights.’ One reviewer called it ‘garish and silly,’ while another in The Independent described it as ‘astonishingly bad’ and compared it unfavorably to a romance novel. Some felt it completely misrepresented Emily Bronte’s classic story. Starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie as Heathcliff and Cathy, the film is being released around Valentine’s Day.

Critics are divided on the film, but the audience at Tuesday night’s West End showing – around 350 people – overwhelmingly enjoyed it, and surprisingly, I did too.

While it’s tempting to join the criticism of Emerald Fennell’s new take on ‘Wuthering Heights,’ complaining about how she’s changed the story and added overly sexual scenes, I can’t. Whether you enjoy it or not, Fennell has created a daring and inventive adaptation that successfully reimagines the classic for modern audiences with energy and flair.

I admit, I’m showing my age, but I just don’t find the current popular actors convincing as youthful characters. Jacob Elordi seems too delicate to play a rugged hero, and even the beautiful Margot Robbie, at 35, feels too polished and mature to convincingly portray a wild, teenage girl running around the countryside.

Please, let’s skip the overly graphic and unsettling imagery – the excessive focus on bodily fluids, the suggestive kneading of dough, and the disturbing scene of a character probing a jellied trout. It’s all needlessly provocative, especially if you happen to be a fish.

Despite being a bit lengthy at 137 minutes, the film beautifully portrays the powerful and heartbreaking nature of unfulfilled love and frustrated desire.

I just… I can’t look away. It’s this video, you know? Everything pulses with color, and the sets are just… unreal. But it’s Cathy’s room that gets to me. It’s supposed to be Thrushcross Grange, but… twisted. Everything’s pink, all soft and padded like… like skin. Seriously, it looks like her own skin, down to the tiny blue veins and even the little moles. It’s creepy and perfect, and I can’t stop watching.

Emerald Fennell really understands what excites and captivates young women. She has a knack for creating memorable scenes and portraying the female perspective in a way few directors do. During one scene, when Heathcliff unexpectedly entered Cathy’s beautifully decorated bedroom, I was unsure whether to laugh or be shocked. The lighting, his appearance, and even the falling confetti created a surprisingly intense and playful moment.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen a lot of romantic comedies, and this one definitely leans into the over-the-top! Think dramatic rain, passionate moments, and all the classic tropes – it’s intentionally a bit silly and overblown, but in a really fun way. The visuals are stunning, and honestly, there are scenes that had me cracking up. It feels like Emerald Fennell is bringing that Jilly Cooper-esque, scandalous romance to a new generation. It’s pure, playful escapism – a modern, funny take on Valentine’s Day, and I’m here for it!

If you’ve ever fantasized about intense romantic encounters – think passionate embraces, ripped clothing, and intimate moments in dramatic settings – then this film is for you. It’s a gothic-style adult film for anyone who enjoys that kind of fantasy.

Heathcliff famously declares, ‘It wasn’t me who broke your heart – you did, and in doing so, you broke mine.’ This line is considered one of the most emotionally powerful in English literature, perfectly capturing the central theme of Wuthering Heights. Even a modern interpretation, like Jacob Elordi’s portrayal accessorized with gold jewelry to represent Heathcliff’s later wealth, can’t diminish its impact.

I disagree with commentators like Brett Cooper, who recently criticized the film on Piers Morgan Uncensored. She complained it was strange and overly sexual, even calling it an offense to British literature. Cooper dismissed the film as a reflection of the director’s personal preferences and accused her of turning a classic story into something exploitative instead of a true adaptation.

Those familiar with the book understand that a literal adaptation would be impossible to film – and even if it were, it would be a terrible movie. The story is too complex, told through untrustworthy voices, and includes a lengthy, unengaging section focusing on the main characters’ children.

Readers are primarily captivated by the intense connection between Heathcliff and Cathy. It’s also worth remembering the novel was penned by a reclusive author who seemingly had no personal experience with romance or intimate relationships.

Emily Brontë never experienced romantic love or marriage. She remained unmarried and, by all accounts, died a virgin at the young age of 30, having had no experience with intimate relationships.

Her most well-known romance was a powerful mix of hidden feelings, intense attraction, and vivid creativity – a fiery connection on paper that likely wouldn’t have worked in reality.

She wrote that their souls were fundamentally alike, a beautiful illustration of the writing style that makes ‘Wuthering Heights’ so timeless – a quality Fennell clearly appreciates.

The film has sparked debate about the casting of actor Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. While the original 1847 novel hints at Heathcliff possibly not being white, the director, Emerald Fennell, has faced criticism for choosing Elordi for the part.

The casting of actors as Heathcliff hasn’t been an issue in previous film adaptations of Wuthering Heights, including the 1939 version with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon. This wasn’t a concern in the 1992 film either, where Ralph Fiennes gave such a powerful performance that Steven Spielberg subsequently cast him as the villainous Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List.

So, what were the critics hoping for? Fennell was upfront from the beginning: this wasn’t meant to be a faithful adaptation of Wuthering Heights. She even used quotation marks around the film’s title, almost as if to say, ‘Don’t take this too seriously.’

The filmmaker calls her movie a ‘fever dream’ because it reflects the intense emotions she experienced when she first read the book as a teenager. She’s achieved this by stripping the story down to its core elements, creating a fast-paced and highly emotional romantic drama.

I was relieved there wasn’t any explicit content or nudity. While the movie did drag a bit at times – like when Elordi was lost in thought or Margot Robbie’s character was dramatically running around – I generally found it to be excellent.

The movie comes out in theaters this Valentine’s Day weekend, and it’s expected to be very popular with audiences.

Okay, let’s talk about this! Some people are really loving the current trends, others are completely turned off, and honestly, a lot of us are wondering if we’re taking a step backwards when it comes to women’s fashion. It’s sparking a big conversation, and it’s understandable why! It’s a complex issue, and everyone has an opinion.

On Tuesday, many women wearing corsets were visibly upset during the event, crying into tissues provided with a ‘Wuthering Heights’ logo and a sticker that read ‘Come Undone’.

Oh, stop it, I love it, as Cathy says to Heathcliff. Over and over again.

Read More

2026-02-12 03:27