Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi have made headlines with their on-set antics, becoming the latest co-stars to spark buzz over their behind-the-scenes chemistry. But if Wuthering Heights is any indication, that spark, while real, flickers uneasily atop a story that offers little else to hold onto.
The film’s production design is one of its undeniable strengths. Sweeping gothic architecture and meticulously crafted sets transport viewers to a world both distant and decayed, while the costumes, especially Robbie’s striking dresses and jewellery, do more than dazzle. They reinforce her role within the tangled love triangle (or perhaps love rectangle) at the story’s heart, showing that the film’s emphasis on beauty has a narrative purpose beyond mere ornamentation.
Equally compelling is the film’s music. Anthony Willis’s score provides a haunting backdrop, while Charli XCX’s original songs inject a modern, unconventional energy for a period piece. Together, they create a striking contrast that elevates scenes beyond what the script allows. Combined with the chemistry between Robbie and Elordi, which is potent and undeniably sexual, the music helps lay the groundwork for a story that aims to explore how passion, when unchecked, can lead people into dark and destructive places.
Unfortunately, Wuthering Heights struggles under the weight of its own ambitions. Nearly every character is self-serving, condescending, or outright despicable. While this could be read as either a commitment to realism or fidelity to Emily Brontë’s source material, it leaves viewers with little to latch onto emotionally. Rooting for the leads feels more like a chore than an investment.
The problem isn’t moral ambiguity, as many films thrive on morally grey characters, but the surrounding world offers no relief. Everything is harsh, punishing, or oppressive, leaving the story directionless and its misery meandering. What is meant to be a sweeping romantic tragedy instead comes off as cosmic justice, as though the film itself is passing judgement on characters it never asks us to understand.
Wuthering Heights isn’t short on heat, style, or star power, and for stretches, that is enough to keep it compelling. But chemistry, atmosphere, and a standout soundtrack can only carry a film so far. In the end, it aspires to be a great romantic tragedy yet feels more like a beautifully dressed warning label.
