Film Review Wuthering Heights: A Classic Story of Emerald Fennell's Interpretation

JAKARTA - The story of Wuthering Heights from the novel by Emily Brontë is back in a new film from director Emerald Fennell. This classic story has been adapted in various formats, both on the big screen and in television series.

Known for its provocative and engaging visual direction, Wuthering Heights is a test of whether Fennell has managed to bring this classic story to a film that audiences can accept or not.

Wuthering Heights tells the story of Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) who lives with her father and her servant. They live well and live in a comfortable place.

One day, Catherine's or Cathy's father brings a child who can't interact. Cathy also gives him the name Heathcliff and teaches him even though he now works as a horse keeper for the Earnshaw family.

Cathy and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) grew up together until adulthood. Cathy and Heathcliff began to feel for each other, until one day Cathy met the rich and attractive Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) who caught Cathy's attention.

Cathy then chose to marry Edgar Linton even though she had not admitted her feelings to Heathcliff. Seeing the situation, Heathcliff left Cathy and sought his own life.

The film Wuthering Heights has a similar premise to Brontë's novel, but from the start they were reluctant to equate the film's story exactly with the novel. The reason is that this film highlights the romance and relationship between the two characters.

Because of the romance, Fennell eventually explored more the interaction between the obsessive Cathy and Heathcliff and the growing relationship between the two. The director directed the film in an explicit direction even from the first scene (which managed to fool the audience).

Maybe because the initial intensity of the romance, therefore, the second act is filled with Cathy's dilemma between defending Edgar or waiting for Heathcliff. Fennell's choice to focus on his romance seems to make the story of Wuthering Heights nothing more than a drama.

Even so, at least the chemistry that arises between Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. The pull-up gaze forms a sweet sexual tension. However, their chemistry is not balanced by the acting department, which is displayed brilliantly by Nelly (Hong Chau) and Isabella (Alison Oliver).

Not only that, the visuals of this film are very beautiful and sweet thanks to Linus Sandgren's cinematography. Yorkshire Moors becomes an emotional background between its characters, especially Heathcliff.

There's nothing wrong with Fennell's choice to make Wuthering Heights by highlighting explicit love, but eventually other things are marginalized, for example the development of the character Heathcliff after leaving the Earnshaw house.

Wuthering Heights is a visually daring but storywise weak work. Apart from that, Emerald Fennell can be said to be brave in bringing this classic story with her own perspective.

The film Wuthering Heights will be shown in Indonesian cinemas starting February 11, 2026.