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Critics Reassess Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” as Glossy Excess or No Match for Brontë’s Darkness

Latest critiques spotlight style-forward choices, question casting, and note the novel’s transgressions.

Overview

  • Pitchfork deems the film visually overwrought and sluggish, arguing the leads are miscast and the performances lack intensity.
  • The Boston Globe contends Brontë’s original work is stranger and more transgressive, suggesting the movie’s provocations are less radical by comparison.
  • Coverage underscores a highly sexualized, stylized approach with pop flourishes, including a Charli XCX track on the soundtrack.
  • Reviewers note significant adaptation choices that streamline characters and timeline, expanding Nelly’s presence and simplifying the novel’s structure.
  • Despite critical friction, reports point to strong early box office results and a female-skewing turnout driving interest.