Jane Eyre (2011)

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In an eye-catching, gothic-drenched opening sequence, a distressed Jane (Wasikowska) scrambles over a sodden moor in the rain. Collapsing at the door of an isolated house, she is let inside by St. John Rivers (Bell) and begins to tell her tale of woe… Orphaned at a young age, Jane was taken in by her aunt (Sally Hawkins) and then banished to an orphanage where she is beaten. Once she turns adult, she is employed as governess by Rochester (Fassbender), a grumpy and rude man. As time goes on, Rochester warms to Jane and she sees that his boorish demeanour covers up a crippling ennui.

Okay, the detractors can argue that this Jane Eyre doesn't mess with the period drama formula and is nothing more than typical Austen/Bronte guff. We have the expected furtive glances across candlelit rooms, hands that briefly touch as the would-be lovers pass in the hallway, suppressed sexual desires, a romantic misunderstanding, the role of women in society, proto-feminism, I love you/I hate you/I love you etc etc etc. Nothing more? There's more going on here in ten minutes than in the entire Transformers franchise.

Last seen in the disappointing Alice In Wonderland, Cary Kukunaga gives Mia Wasikowska room to explore the depths of her talent that Tim Burton failed to. Saying that, she's playing a totally different character: her Alice was merely a character to ground the fantastical goings on in a magical world; Jane Eyre makes things happen for herself. At first stiff and distant, Wasikowska grows into the role and matures before our eyes. Fassbender solidifies his leading man status with Rochester: a Heathcliff type, Fassbender is asked to be manly, gruff and offensive but to always keep a twinkle of gentleness in his eye and he pulls it off. Jamie Bell does what he can with his lack of screen time and Judi Dench is surplus to requirements. It's Amelia Clarkson, playing the young Jane, that shines as brightly as her two leads.

The pacing does flag every now and then but that's the source material dictating things – Kukunaga can't make every scene with people sitting and talking or walking and talking edge of your seat exciting – but the dialogue is keen and sharp throughout.