FILM REVIEW - Wuthering Heights (2026)
By The Masked Medic
A break from the cinema has meant that I’ve missed out on quite a few films that I was intending to watch. But with a long weekend and holidays approaching, I had the chance to sit down and watch a film that I was initially quite intrigued by. Part of that may have had something to do with the fact that I’ve been reminiscing on my time at school!
‘Wuthering Heights’ is a story set in Yorkshire in the 1800’s. The owner of Wuthering Heights, a large estate, Mr Earnshaw, brings home a poor boy whom he states that he has rescued. His daughter, Catherine, is instantly enamoured by this boy and sees him as a new plaything for her, much to the chagrin of her companion, Nelly, who is Mr Earnshaw’s ward. She names him “Heathcliff” after her dead brother. Very weird. The two are then inseparable, and you see their bond develop. Fast forward a few years, and you see them all grown up. Unfortunately, Mr Earnshaw, who has spent most of his days drunk and gambling, has lost a lot of money, and Wuthering Heights is in disrepair. One day, Catherine comes to find out that a wealthy young man, Edgar Linton, and his ward, Isabella, have moved into the Grange, which is the neighbouring property. She jokes that she will charm him, which gets on Heathcliff’s nerves, due to him having developed feelings for her. When Edgar sends a marriage proposal for Catherine, she is torn between her own feelings, but her decision is made for her when Heathcliff mysteriously disappears. After five years away, Heathcliff returns to his old life, only to find that he recognises very little of it. Can he and Catherine mend their friendship? Or will Catherine’s new life prove far better for her?
Playing one of our leads, Catherine was Margot Robbie. I initially felt that she may be a little old for the role, especially given how young her co-star looked, but I think in the film it was okay. I’ve still not concluded how well I think Robbie can act, although her performance in this film was good. As Edgar Linton was Shazad Latif, who did a great job of playing a sort of aloof gentleman. I did find it ironic that they cast Edgar with an actor who was ethnic, as opposed to Heathcliff, who in the book which inspired the film, was described as a ‘dark skinned gypsy’. I’m just saying, guys. Anyways, playing his ward, Isabella, was Alison Oliver. Now, clearly her take on the character was quite different from her book counterpart, but her ability to play this sort of zany and slightly unhinged character was fantastic. Martin Clunes played Mr Earnshaw, and Hong Chau played Nelly Dean. Again, their characters were slightly changed for the film adaptation, but they were good additions. I have to give a shoutout to Owen Cooper, who many of you would know from “Adolescence”. I think Owen is definitely one to watch, as his ability to act is phenomenal. Finally, the standout performance is Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. I was sceptical, but Elordi does a fantastic job of portraying this tortured character, not too dissimilar to his performance as Frankenstein’s Monster. His accent was on point, and he was probably one of the few saving graces of this film!
Okay, what on earth was this fever dream? I had studied the Wuthering Heights novel as a teenager, and I remember really enjoying it. So when they announced they were making this film, it piqued my interest immediately. Then came the casting news, and I’ve already explained that I was slightly annoyed that they had the opportunity to do an accurate casting in terms of ethnicity, and they didn’t. I’m not one to harp on about DEI, but this is one of the few stories that has a lead with an ethnic background. That being said, I appreciate that the actors who were cast did the job they were asked to do. However, the director’s take on this book, I found, was a perverse and frankly disrespectful one, and honestly, it felt like it was just a smutty fan fiction. Several of the characters were changed into depraved versions, and by the end, I was left wondering why even adapt the novel? It was disappointing given that several other aspects of the film were done well!
I have to credit the film in terms of cinematography. Initially, when I saw Thrushcross Grange and the outfits that the Lintons were wearing, I felt that I had entered an Alice in Wonderland world, but I suppose it was to highlight the difference in the way of life that the Lintons were living compared to those at Wuthering Heights. Some of the shots were also visually stunning. The music was a mix of modern and classical, and again, I think the contrast worked well. Overall, this film just shouldn’t have been called Wuthering Heights.
Rating:
Story: ★★
Acting: ★★★½
Cinematography: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Enjoyability: ★½