Emerald Fennell’s adaptation lands mixed praise as reviews settle at 72 per cent
Emerald Fennell’s bold new take on Wuthering Heights has finally faced its reckoning. As reviews pour in ahead of its Valentine’s Day release, the adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi has settled at a 72 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
That figure places the film safely above the threshold for a “rotten” label, but it stops well short of universal acclaim. With 74 reviews counted so far, the score appears largely stabilised. It is solid. It is respectable. It is also undeniably divisive.
The adaptation has drawn attention from the outset. Casting choices sparked debate, and Fennell’s interpretation of Emily Brontë’s Gothic classic promised a heightened, sensual tone. For a story steeped in obsession and anguish, releasing over Valentine’s weekend felt like either perfect timing or a risky gamble.
Critics seem split on whether the gamble pays off.
Mashable described the film as “a passionate but incoherent collage of teenage lust and rebellion,” suggesting its intensity tips into chaos. The Atlantic called it Fennell’s best film to date, yet labelled it a “gooey, grimy mess.” Variety acknowledged that literary purists may object but argued Fennell amplifies a passion in the source material that had long simmered beneath the surface.
It is praise wrapped in hesitation. Admiration tangled with discomfort.
For Jacob Elordi, the film adds another high profile credit to a career that has accelerated rapidly since Euphoria. His recent projects have drawn strong critical responses, including an 85 percent score for Frankenstein and a perfect 100 percent for The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Saltburn, also directed by Fennell, landed at 72 percent, identical to Wuthering Heights. That connection suggests a consistency in the filmmaker’s reception. Provocative. Stylish. Polarising.
Elordi’s momentum continues to build. He has secured an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and is rumoured to be in contention for the next James Bond under Denis Villeneuve. His career choices appear deliberate, often leaning toward ambitious or unconventional projects.
Margot Robbie, meanwhile, brings a far longer and more varied track record. From the critical highs of I, Tonya at 90 percent and Barbie at 88 percent, to the lower scoring Amsterdam and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, her career spans triumph and turbulence. Her performance as Harley Quinn across three DC films earned mixed but at times strong reviews, with The Suicide Squad hitting 90 percent.
Wuthering Heights sits somewhere in the middle of her filmography. Not a career peak. Not a misstep. Instead, it joins a collection of projects that divide audiences while showcasing her willingness to take creative risks.
For Fennell, this marks only her third feature as director. She won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman, a film that similarly divided critics while commanding attention. Her collaboration with Elordi on Saltburn established a partnership built on intensity and aesthetic boldness. That sensibility carries into this adaptation.
The lingering question now is commercial. Early projections suggest an opening weekend between 45 and 60 million dollars. With star power, strong awareness and reviews that lean positive rather than hostile, the film could convert controversy into ticket sales.
Valentine’s weekend audiences may decide whether this storm of passion and provocation translates into box office success. For now, the numbers tell a cautious story. Not a triumph. Not a disaster.