The Power of the Dog

The Power of the Dog

A domineering but charismatic rancher wages a war of intimidation on his brother's new wife and her teen son, until long-hidden secrets come to light.

  • Released: 2021-11-17
  • Runtime: 127 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, Romance, Western
  • Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Keith Carradine, Thomasin McKenzie, Geneviève Lemon, Adam Beach, Peter Carroll, Frances Conroy, Sean Keenan, Ken Radley, George Mason, Ramontay McConnell, David Denis, Cohen Holloway, Max Mata, Josh Owen, Alistair Sewell, Eddie Campbell, Alice Englert, Jacque Drew, Yvette Parsons, Bryony Skillington, Aislinn Furlong, Daniel Cleary, Richard Falkner, Tatum Warren-Ngata, Yvette Reid, Alice May Connolly, Stephen Lovatt, Stephen Bain, Ella Hope-Higginson, Piimio Mei, Edith Poor, Vadim Ledogorov, Julie Forsyth, Alison Bruce, Karl Willetts, David T. Lim, Maeson Stone Skuggedal, Ian Harcourt, Kenneth Radley, Sean Keenan, George Mason, Ramontay McConnell, David Denis, Cohen Holloway, Max Mata, Josh Owen, Alistair Sewell, Eddie Campbell, Alice Englert, Bryony Skillington, Jacque Drew, Yvette Parsons, Aislinn Furlong, Daniel Cleary, Richard Falkner, Tatum Warren-Ngata, Yvette Reid, Alice May Connolly, Stephen Lovatt, Stephen Bain, Ella Hope-Higginson, Piimio Mei, Edith Poor, Vadim Ledogorov, Julie Forsyth, Peter Carroll, Alison Bruce, Karl Willetts, David T. Lim, Adam Beach, Maeson Stone Skuggedal, Ian Harcourt
  • Director: Jane Campion
 Comments
  • yowbanana - 3 May 2024
    The Power Nap
    I don't have any expectation when watching this and still I am disappointed. I can't watch this in one sitting, it needs like 4/5 sittings to finish this movie. The movie is very very slow and I can't feel the building towards the conflicts. It is weird to see America in New Zealand. I gave 3 for the actors' performance especially two Ks -Kirsten & Kodi. Benedict sometimes overacts and I just can't get it why he has to be angry all the time.

    I also didn't get why this movie is so hyped up at the Oscar. Poor Benedict for not winning the trophy, maybe next time he can portray a different kind of character.
  • m-abtahi - 28 January 2024
    The Power of Human Relationships
    Directed by Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog" presents a visually striking yet modernly layered Western. The film navigates the linear relationship between a widowed innkeeper mother and her son and further explores the linear relationship between two rancher brothers. As the story unfolds, a complex triangular dynamic forms among these four characters, drawing its allure not only from the breathtaking scenery but also from the intricate human relationships.

    The film is rich with symbolism, with elements such as ropes, pianos, and horses serving as conduits for the untold and unsaid events in the narrative. It captures the essence of cinema, where everything unfolds in images rather than words. Despite its Western appearance, the film delves into the innermost pains, desires, and aspirations of humanity.
  • moviesfilmsreviewsinc - 31 August 2023
    Jane Campion's best work yet.
    Benedict Cumberbatch, known for his roles in "The Hobbit" and "Star Trek Into Darkness," is a standout actor in the Western drama "The Power of the Dog." He portrays a character in a masculine crisis, Phil, who is constantly trying to prove himself as a tough leader in a wolf pack of cowboys. Cumberbatch's character dominates the pecking order with cruel remarks and an irreverence towards authority. His cold eyes, stone façade, and sharp tongue make him more fearsome than his past quirky and endearing characters. Cumberbatch moves through the movie like an unsheathed knife, cutting anyone unlucky enough to get close. His portrayal of Phil in the film is a testament to his versatility and ability to navigate the Western genre. Phil, played by Cumberbatch, is a rough and tumble character who is compared to the movie's kinder Romulus, his brother George. George is gentler and more soft-spoken, often at the mercy of Phil's teasing. At a restaurant, Phil taunts Rose, a widow running a joint, and her son Peter, who Phil bullies until Peter walks off the job and leaves his mother in tears. George reaches out to comfort her and ends up falling for her, enraged by Phil's loss. Peter tries to spend more time with Phil, which unlocks a number of secrets and hidden intentions, changing everyone's relationship to each other. The film uses New Zealand for 1920s Montana, setting it against a harsh background that is both beautiful and imposing. For Peter, it presents a hardened masculinity he must learn to overcome, while for Phil, it is an escape from the life of privilege he wants no part of. Campion's adaptation of Thomas Savage's novel strips out many details from the book and takes it back to its rawest in-the-moment elements. Backstory is filled in quickly and briefly in dialogue, with no flashbacks. Cinematographer Ari Wegner writes whole character studies in their close-ups, giving us a sense of what the cast may never verbalize. The film also uses Campion's approach from earlier works like "An Angel at My Table" and "The Piano," which follows a main character, Ada, who cannot speak but uses her face and sign language to get her point across. Cumberbatch's performance in "The Piano" speaks volumes through Phil's movement, body language, and reactions. "The Power of the Dog" is a film that uses music to emphasize the plot and emotions of the characters. Jonny Greenwood's string compositions are used to create a sense of unease and anticipation, with the sounds of sweet violins sour and softer notes swelling into intense waves. The film's suspenseful atmosphere is reminiscent of Phil's preference for working with cattle over dealing with high society. The film starts at a gentle pace but soon introduces layers of desire, hatred, and domination, disrupting everyone's uneasy peace. The game of wits between Phil and his friends is chilling and serves as an end-of-the-year movie to finish things off with a bang. The music doesn't stray too far from the typical Western sound but adds layers of foreboding throughout. The Power of the Dog is Jane Campion's first feature film in over a decade, a western gothic psychodrama set in 1920s Montana. The film features a mysterious and malicious plot with a lethal ending that creeps up behind the viewer. The setting is 1920s Montana, where two brothers, Phil Burbank (Cumberbatch) and George (Plemons), run a profitable ranch. Phil, an instinctive bully, calls his brother "fatso" and is obsessed with George's dependency on Phil's tough competence. However, George is emotionally reliant on his quiet, dignified brother, and they share a bedroom in their big house like kids. The film is adapted from a 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, much admired by E Annie Proulx. The film has an air of tragedy, dysfunction, and horror, with elements of Ibsen and George Stevens's Giant. The character Rose, played by Geneviève Lemon, is psychologically unable to play the piano for her family and is surrounded by weird gossip and urban myths. The film is filled with queasy touches, such as Rose talking to the cook Mrs Lewis (Geneviève Lemon) and maid Lola (Thomasin McKenzie). The audience can almost feel Rose's frisson of fear and fellow-feeling, imagining herself to be like this woman right now. The Power of the Dog is a made with artistry and command, making it one of Jane Campion's best works. The film explores themes of tragedy, dysfunction, and horror, with the audience having to piece together its meaning after the big reveal.
  • astonvillain-648-313900 - 28 December 2022
    The most misleading 'Western' since 'Paint Your Wagon'
    Film is more like an episode of Brookside than a Western. I watched for 1:10min then gave up. By that point no one had even been slapped let alone shot. The most violence was a passive agressive banjo strumming during the wife's piano practice.

    If you want to know what happened in that 70 minutes the story is about a portly brother called 'Fat-so' who marries a lonely woman who has an effeminate son who displays his displeasure with other cowboys not by punching them and dragging them accross the bar top, but rather by going outside and using a hoola hoop to gyrate his woes away... the wife then turns to booze cause she couldn't remember how to play her piano song for her new mother in law... and thats when I turned off.

    If you think that I have 'over simplified' the plot or am exagerating for comic effect then don't say I didn't warn you...
  • ritera1 - 16 October 2022
    Redundant anger with Cumber-bun
    Well-written, interesting characters. Story-wise, it frequent dropped the ball and felt incomplete. Benny's anger was intriguing and I wanted to know why.

    Then I saw why about an hour in but was puzzled why he was both vindictive towards his brother and abnormally attached to him at the same time. I have some ideas but wasn't sure. Granted, it was from a book (which I didn't read) and internal motivations are hard to display on screen.

    Benny was also hostile toward the kid but then did an about face after the kid saw him swimming. It would have been more consistent for him to try to get close to the kid beforehand.

    Benny's brother's marriage and relationship took second fiddle to Benny's redundant anger issues. The kid himself was intriguing but the character was finite.

    Not even any subplots to speak of. They were in that other town for an extended period of time but wasn't defined. Just to make way for 25 ways to show that Benny's character is an asshole.

    Then the ending was cursory and vague to me. I'm thinkin' that the kid was at fault on purpose but he was still conflicted about it all.
  • saurabh-shad - 25 August 2022
    WHY NEGATIVE REVIEW IT IF U DONT GET IT. MOVIE IS MASTERPIECE
    As i said if you loved western rugged cowboys only. Will be disappointed infact its. A western theme physiological movie with a twisted ending. Benedict. Gave is best performance loved it. A slow burn.