‘A god-tier new classic’: first reactions to Wuthering Heights praise ‘hot, horny’ Emerald Fennell adaptation

Reviews might be embargoed until next Monday, but Los Angeles social media is getting hot under the collar after an early screening of Emerald Fennell’s highly anticipated adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights.

“Intoxicating, transcendent, tantalising, bewitching, lust worthy, hypnotic,” wrote Courtney Howard, adding that the film “expertly captures the breathtaking ache and essence of desire” and “is a god-tier new classic”.

Another user called the film “enthralling” and “exquisite”, and lavishing the nouns rather than the adjectives, called it “a beautiful mess of passion, destruction, lust, revenge and unhinged behaviour. Throw the book away and step into the madness of undeniable chemistry and explosive toxic desire.”

Veteran film writer Anne Thompson predicted the film “will open well and soar at the box office”, calling it “a rip-roaring, bodice-ripping crowd pleaser. Both Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie will come out ahead. Audiences will fall for Emerald Fennell’s garish visuals and unrestrained direction. Everything is BIG.”

Box office pundit Scott Mendelson concurred, saying that the film “rocks” and praising its “big-budget production value and cinematic style value we once took for granted” but also suggesting “it works on its own terms as a nuanced romantic tragedy”.

A slight note of caution was voiced by Brandon Norwood, who called the film “a tad too long” but said its stars are “explosive together. Their chemistry leaps off the screen.” “And yeah it’s hot,” he emphasises. “It’s horny.”

Fennell’s film has already been met with some scepticism by Brontë purists for its anachronistic approach to costume design, apparent embrace of BDSM, and the casting of 35-year-old Robbie as the 19-year-old Cathy and the white Elordi as Heathcliff, a character generally understood to be of Romany origin.

Fennell has defended her approach, saying: “There’s an enormous amount of sado-masochism in this book. There’s a reason people were deeply shocked by it”, and emphasising that her adaptation is a personal take, and one among many.

“The great thing about this movie is that it could be made every year and it would still be so moving and so interesting,” she said. “There are so many different takes. I think every year we should have a new one.”

The film is released worldwide on 13 February.