It was great. Then it was good. Then it quickly became terrible. That is the story of “Wuthering Heights.”

The film follows the never-ending love story of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw in 18th-century England.

A Powerful Beginning

“Wuthering Heights” opens in rousing fashion. It quickly showcases its best attributes – the score, setting and cinematography. These, along with the performances, are the aspects that keep the film afloat. On a story level? It completely falls apart.

The initial connection between Heathcliff and Catherine is electric. From their first meeting to the very end, the spark is there. The film succeeds in establishing their physical connection, but it also precedes it with emotional impact.

The performances are a large part of this success. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi both deliver exceptional work, but surprisingly, it’s Charlotte Mellington and Owen Cooper who are the most memorable.

Playing the younger versions of the characters, Mellington and Cooper perfectly capture the essence of innocent love.

Robbie is the more versatile of the main leads. Her facial expressions do a lot of work amidst bouts of emotion and longing. Elordi transforms in different ways throughout the movie and delivers more often than not. While the accents of the two actors have been heavily criticized, they don’t necessarily deserve to be. Both Robbie and Elordi bring the characters to life, no matter how “authentic” they may sound.

Hong Chau (Nelly), Shazad Latif (Edgar), Alison Oliver (Isabella) and Martin Clunes (Earnshaw) all add depth in supporting roles as well.

When the Story Loses its Way

After a certain point, “Wuthering Heights” loses its plot. What was once a story about a forever connection turns purely into lust, greed and self-satisfaction. This may very well be the message that the film aims to deliver, though it makes the experience much less enjoyable to watch.

Prioritizing steaminess over everything else, the sadness within the story gets lost. Rather than devastation, “Wuthering Heights” often feels like self-imposed pity.

Because of this direction, both lead characters become unlikable. They choose every imaginable route to make those around them suffer – including each other.

This cycle of neglect turns “Wuthering Heights” into a rinse-and-repeat formula. The last 45 minutes of the movie could have been achieved in 15 minutes alone. Instead, the film forces the audience to sit through a toxic tale that leaves minimal impact. At 136 minutes long, the second half is a challenge to get through at times.

Beauty Without Substance

Despite its problems, “Wuthering Heights” is undoubtedly beautiful. Using 35mm VistaVision cameras, cinematographer Linus Sandgren beautifully captures the landscape. The production design by Suzie Davies adds to the aesthetic as well.

From beginning to end, the film keeps your eyes locked to the screen.

The score is constantly booming with life as well. “Wuthering Heights” may take place in the past, but the sounds very much come from the present. Anthony Willis’ score, with original songs by Charli XCX, becomes central to the movie’s identity.

However, because it is so committed to including these original songs, scenes in “Wuthering Heights” can sometimes come across as music video–esque.

“Wuthering Heights” is a tragedy of love. Emerald Fennell’s reimagining may be bold, but it doesn’t work.

Rating: 2 out of 5