‘Wuthering Heights’: Joyless interlude

Emerald Fennell turns on the heat with her personalised version of Emily Bronte’s dark, complex romantic classic. This film is a loose adaptation of the 1847 novel. The explosive, passionate and destructive relationship between Heathcliff (Elordi) and Catherine Earnshaw (Robbie) finds fresh meaning in this adaptation. Though searing and intense, it is less complicated than Bronte’s tragic novel.

Fennell’s third movie after the radically shifty and shocking ‘Promising Young Woman’ and ‘Saltburn,’ ‘Wuthering Heights’ sexes up the conflict between Catherine and Heathcliff while dumbing down the complexities of the multi-layered inter-personal relationships featured in the novel. Set against the backdrop of the moody West Yorkshire moors, within the period 1771-1784, the wild, obsessive, steamy passion between the two, though raunchy, explicit and provocative, feels a little tame when compared to that within the written pages of the novel.

The story concerns the recently impoverished Earnshaws of the Wuthering Heights estate and the very rich Lintons of Thrushcross Grange. Cathy and Heathcliff come across as extremely toxic for each other. They betray each other, are viciously manipulative and pay a heavy price.

Fennell’s adaptation skills appear to be wanting in the script department. Quite a few vital characters from the book are missing and some parts of the story take on a more radical bent.

There are way too many bumps in the narration. Fennell may have been trying to bring together diverse themes, but the uneven nature of the narrative puts paid to that ambition. The characters and dynamics play out in an awkward spiel with dialogues sounding stilted.

Fennell appears to have used up a more than generous dose of creative freedom to re-imagine the novel. Her take is visually stunning but feels rather disjointed and hollowed out. Suzie Davies’ production design, Jacqueline Duran’s costumes, Linus Sandgren’s cinematography and the artistic make-up have resplendent aesthetic appeal. But the intrusive musical score by Anthony Willis feels off and the songs by Charli XCX are largely forgettable.

Fennell makes some interesting directorial choices but the consistency, fluidity and gradual emotional build-up are missing in the overall telling. Both Catherine and Heathcliff come across as wilful characters lacking in depth and dimension. They make it difficult for the audience to empathise with their choices.

Elordi and Robbie just don’t come across as memorable. While Elordi looks too young and handsome to play the hardened Heathcliff, Robbie barely manages to overcome the handicap of giving life to an obviously underwritten Catherine.

Fennell’s exploration of obsession, pride, cruelty, and self-deception has shock value but it doesn’t draw the audience in. Her re-imagining is entertaining no doubt but doesn’t have the wherewithal to be memorable over time. This movie feels like a dressed-up romance lacking in psychological depth.

Bronte’s stunningly bleak character study has been turned into a joyless glossy interlude.