The Stream: Repetitive and lacking substance.

The Big Screen: Gorgeous costumes and production design.

The Final Bill: While oddly tame for a tumultuous romance, the beautiful of the film carries it to its conclusion.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Emerald Fennell
Writers: Emerald Fennell based on a novel by Emily Bronte
Stars: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Alison Oliver, Shazad Latif, Martin Clunes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rating: R for sexual content, some violent content and language.
Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes
Production Companies: Lie Still, MRC Film, LuckyChap
Platform: In theaters February 13, 2026
Notable Trailers: The Drama, Project Hail Mary, Supergirl, The Bride!, Reminders of Him

Hey, Streamers! It’s Valentine’s time. I guess you’re looking for something romantic to put you in the mood. Well, you’ve come to the right place, sort of. Emerald Fennell has put her special stamp on Wuthering Heights, which has been called a bodice-ripping, tumultuous love story – if that’s your thing. In Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” on the Yorkshire moors, Cathy (Margot Robbie) and her alcoholic father have taken in an orphaned boy, Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi), who becomes Cathy’s close confidant and “pet.” When sexual tension bubbles over between Cathy and Heathcliff, they are torn apart by class differences and dastardly meddling. Despite it all, Cathy and Heathcliff keep getting drawn into each other’s orbits. Skin walls and self-indulgence hijinks ensue.

Here’s the thing about Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights”: if you’re expecting Saltburn as a period piece, you might be a little disappointed. Fennell is interested in this tumultuous relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff, and she delves into showing all of the dirty deeds that come from these complicated characters. However, most of what we see is surface-level as there’s no real depth to it. There’s a lot here for shock value, but surprisingly, not as much as one might expect considering where Fennell’s other features go. What’s really great is the look of this movie. The cinematography is evocative, the costumes are romantic and divine, and the production design is captivating. Unfortunately, that’s about all there is too this as the rest of the movie is pretty flat and uninspiring. Style over substance.

Actually, Isabella played by Alison Oliver is a bright spot. She is funny and off-the-wall in a completely appropriate way. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are beautiful together, especially in their costumes, but they don’t really come together in a romantic or provocative way, which is disappointing. Nevertheless, the movie is a fascinating feature as the disparate elements are interesting even though they don’t all work together.

Ultimately, “Wuthering Heights” is a stylish romantic drama that is more interested in the aesthetics of the tale rather than its substance. Everything looks beautiful with eccentric flourishes added by Fennell, but the passion and connection that you’d expect feels very surface level. You might be disappointed by the lack of sexiness that is expected. Grab a bowl of popcorn and keep your shirt on.