Muddled melodrama
For me, the most compelling bit of film in this version of WUTHERING HEIGHTS was the opening credit sequence, which uses lots of steadicam shots to propel us into the first scene.After that, things become more muddled. The script bounces us back and forth between the various generations of the story, tossing in characters willy-nilly but not providing us with a scorecard to keep track of who's who. Most of the main characters are so close in age that it's hard to remember who's supposed to be younger or older than the next person.
I've never understood the attraction of the Heathcliff character to generations of romance- starved women. He's nasty, vindictive, abusive, and obsessive. Is that the kind of guy you ladies really want? Cathy is just as reprehensible for marrying a decent man and making his life miserable (like the Holly Hunter character in THE PIANO).
Burn Gorman, who has played quite a variety of characters in series ranging from BLEAK HOUSE to TORCHWOOD, gives us a well-rounded character whose decline is palpable. Tom Hardy's mystique is lost on me, with his lips like slabs of raw meat; his abilities aren't up to the demands of a role that calls for the character to age a generation in 2.5 hours.
Some of the minor characters also do a fine job with the material. But the production, with its gorgeous scenery and fine building locations, is burdened by a weak script and not helped by yet another drum-heavy, Lord-of-the-Dance-inspired score.
score 6/10
LCShackley 26 January 2009
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2014474/14555
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