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Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” Draws Split Reviews Ahead of Friday Release

Reviews spotlight a stylised, overtly sexual reinterpretation that narrows the story to the CathyHeathcliff bond.

Overview

  • Critics are divided, with aggregated scores at 71% on Rotten Tomatoes (65 reviews) and 60 on Metacritic (31 reviews) as of late Monday.
  • Wuthering Heights opens in theaters on February 13 with an R rating for sexual content, some violent content and language, and a 136-minute runtime.
  • Coverage notes bold stylistic choices, including Charli XCX’s modern soundtrack and anachronistic design elements, alongside a focus on desire and obsession.
  • Several reviews emphasize that the adaptation trims much of the novel’s later material to concentrate on the central relationship.
  • Ongoing debate centers on Jacob Elordi’s casting as Heathcliff and the film’s reframing of Brontë’s themes away from racial otherness toward class and sensuality.