The Power of the Dog

6

Brent_MarchantDec 10, 2021

Cinematic artistry is indeed inspiring, but, if a film doesn't have a comparably impressive narrative, that celluloid mastery generally all goes for naught. Such is the case with writer-director Jane Campion's latest, a disappointinglyCinematic artistry is indeed inspiring, but, if a film doesn't have a comparably impressive narrative, that celluloid mastery generally all goes for naught. Such is the case with writer-director Jane Campion's latest, a disappointingly underwhelming effort from an ordinarily reliable auteur. The chief problem here is an often-thin, sometimes-obvious, frequently unfocused story (with a script to match), one that's principally an essay on the dangers of toxic masculinity as explored through life on a 1920s Montana cattle ranch. The film seeks to examine this issue through a variety of story threads, most of which are far from fully developed and lack coherent correlation save for the behavior of a somewhat cliched, mostly monodimensional protagonist. To its credit, "The Power of the Dog" features gorgeous cinematography, strong character development, a fine period piece production design, a captivating original score, and excellent performances, especially from Benedict Cumberbatch and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Yet, even though these strengths come close in capably covering the material's inherent weaknesses, they're not enough to elevate the film to the level of greatness or to live up to much of the undeserved hype many critics have heaped upon it.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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1

KeepzepackDec 9, 2021

Slow, tedious, boring movie, where the camera lingers on flat earth and the movie lingers on long, long silences between grunts by the actors. As if this weren't bad enough, there is Director Jane Campion's fixation with pianos, ever sinceSlow, tedious, boring movie, where the camera lingers on flat earth and the movie lingers on long, long silences between grunts by the actors. As if this weren't bad enough, there is Director Jane Campion's fixation with pianos, ever since she won sone underserved award for her previous film, The Piano. In this film, she has dusty cowboys dragging a grand piano onto the Wyoming deserts for unimaginable reasons. I could only take 45 minutes of this awful film, then turned it off.… Expand

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

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7

davemelbourne58Dec 7, 2021

The first time I watched it---I said been there/done that and I was kind of "meh". Then I read some reviews and rewatched the last half hour. I missed quite a bit it seems. Great performances. Gotta pay attention. Good movie, but is it BESTThe first time I watched it---I said been there/done that and I was kind of "meh". Then I read some reviews and rewatched the last half hour. I missed quite a bit it seems. Great performances. Gotta pay attention. Good movie, but is it BEST movie of 2021? I hope not… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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7

RiseofPalpatineDec 6, 2021

Great performances, great cinematography, great score, decent characters, boring plot.

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9

Luke2Dec 6, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A beautiful, thought provoking film with timely themes. One of the year's best.… Expand

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1

MoutamineDec 5, 2021

Worst movie I watched all year. I want my 2-hours back. The movie is filmed like an horror movie (constant tension) and yet nothing ever happens. It's absolute garbage.

7 of 13 users found this helpful76

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4

icotzabbDec 5, 2021

Despite some impressive visuals the script is just terrible and fractured. At times the score is just confusing and not congruent with scenes.

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

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4

RatedRexDec 4, 2021

There is tension. There is suspense. There is looming doom from start to finish. But when it's all said and done, there is much to do about nothing. And I didn't think the performances were all that great, either. I hope the AcademyThere is tension. There is suspense. There is looming doom from start to finish. But when it's all said and done, there is much to do about nothing. And I didn't think the performances were all that great, either. I hope the Academy doesn't reward another one of these overrated, slow-moving art movies.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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10

AdrianaCaceresDec 4, 2021

A great movie. A great performance by the entire cast but the one that is fantastic and wonderful is that of Benedict Cumberbatch. Jane Campion's direction is smooth and deep. Perhaps for many lrs the development of the story seems boring,A great movie. A great performance by the entire cast but the one that is fantastic and wonderful is that of Benedict Cumberbatch. Jane Campion's direction is smooth and deep. Perhaps for many lrs the development of the story seems boring, but ladies and gentlemen, this is real cinema.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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9

LeonVitaliDec 4, 2021

Jane Campion returns to the big screen with sensational pretensions: a western set in Montana in 1925 (which echoes in some respects to "Brokeback Mountain", Ang Lee's masterpiece), starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and JesseJane Campion returns to the big screen with sensational pretensions: a western set in Montana in 1925 (which echoes in some respects to "Brokeback Mountain", Ang Lee's masterpiece), starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons. A woman, Rose, together with her son Peter (with over-sensitive but sometimes brutally irreverent traits), move to the Ranch of her husband George Burbank, after the two are married: it will be the brother, Phil Burbank, played by a masterful Benedict Cumberbatch, to disturb the sweet and superficial family quiet. A direction that through its discretion, its close-ups, facial details and long shots, manages to involve us fully within this story that basically speaks of communicability, management of emotions and tolerance. The enormous abilities of the cult director are to express, through every precise movement of his characters, a characterization so deep that it takes a few viewings to catch every fleeting moment, which makes us discover something more each time to the story and the character itself. Benedict Cumberbatch is monstrous in his acting, and Kirsten Dunst goes after her which is truly a marvel; he is a curmudgeon, a gruff who takes it out on everyone and who with his brother can only talk about sex almost, ( then in reality it is not so, and here Campion reveals her great skill in blurring her characters, which so skillfully are directed ), she, the mother of the little feminine boy (but virile in her intelligence), grieved to the core for the family situation, manages, with just her gaze (reminiscent of the way she acted in Lars von Trier's "Melancholia"), to say it all, painting a woman devoid of any vital stimulus, if not just for her son. Jane Campion manages to create tension in every scene, even if superficially the action is superfluous, such as playing a piano: skillfully using the direction and dosing camera movements composed of slow carrellate alternating in montage; just as in the scene in which Rose tries to play the new piano given to her by her husband, for an impending party with high-level figures, but she does not get a musical tune, and begins to get nervous; as if that were not enough enters the scene without being heard, the fateful Phil, who climbed to the second floor, begins to " play " with the inability of the woman in playing, alternating the sound of his instrument with that of Rose, downstairs: close-up from the bottom of the absolute Benedict Cumberbatch and alternating with slow tracking shots to Kirsten Dunst, annoyed beyond words, in an ambiguous game between provocation, arrogance and the desire to dominate. Spoiler Part: Taking in the whole film, we understand many things towards the end: the boy, Peter, has been skilled in killing Phil; and this is understood from several very subtle actions, which in a regally explicit way are confirmed. The boy sees in Phil all the evil of his mother, but waits, cunning and firm in his actions; the skins of the gruff man are sold by Rose, and the son, as it happens, in a few scenes before had cut off some pieces of skin from the animal that died of the same disease of Phil, anthrax, as we notice from the blood that comes out of the organ of expulsion dripping. The fateful evening we understand through a directing game, which shows us an action carried out underwater, that the rope obtained from the skin, still virgin, is touched by Phil, and Campion seems to emphasize it with this shot, as if to emphasize the murder, which is already taking place: in fact it will be the evening of the premeditated murder of the young man, just like a villain, the boy offers him a cigarette, ruthless, as if he offered him the last dinner, the last gift. The next day, the same boy touches the ready-made rope, finished by Phil, with gloves, precisely because he knows that it still has traces of the disease used for the murder the night before. Why did Peter kill Phil? Because he saw in him every one of his mother's sufferings, from her alcoholism to her relationship problems. Is he happy about the murder? We can't say for sure, but probably yes: in the last scene, the son sees his mother Rose arriving with her husband George from his brother's funeral; however, they seem to be returning from a party, as the mother passionately kisses her husband: a slow backwards tracking shot, showing the son Peter, who smiles, exits the shot on the left, and the film ends; he got what he wanted, they got rid of the stone in their shoe, and everything settled down for the best.A very skilled game, which fits everything perfectly at the end of the film: its power lies precisely in the details, extremely studied and meticulous. A proof of the director's mastery, who expertly weaves the canvas for this small modern jewel.… Expand

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4

SupersoupDec 3, 2021

One of those movies that feels like something big will happen at any time but never really does. It’s dramatic and does a good job of holding your attention but in the end I looked back and thought much of it was pointless.

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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9

EFRAMDec 3, 2021

Once again Jane Campion proves that she is a master director, one with stunning vision, well worn patience, an incredibly complex detailed eye, and a smoldering heart to match her immense talents. The Power of the Dog is an exercise in ClassOnce again Jane Campion proves that she is a master director, one with stunning vision, well worn patience, an incredibly complex detailed eye, and a smoldering heart to match her immense talents. The Power of the Dog is an exercise in Class A filmmaking. From Johnny Greenwoods tremulous and heartbreaking score to Ari Wegners mesmerizing landscapes and hard-edged Close-ups, the film defies description except to say that each performance, from Benedict Cumberbatch's slow-boiling antagonist to Kirsten Dunst's out of emotional control damsel in psychological distress, to Jesse Plemons, kind, weak, gorgeously empathic, imperfect sidekick/foil to Kodi Smit Mc Phees deadpan secretly sinister dreaded cipher, TPOTD manages to keep you glued to the screen even when you wonder where its all going, with a payoff you see coming but never in the way you thought it would come. A master class in how to create mood, intent, passion, danger and finally catharsis, earning it the best film of the year in my world.… Expand

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9

ExceladeogunDec 3, 2021

The power of the dog

Stunning, daring and beautifully styled. A sure best picture nominee

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

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4

Mauro_LanariDec 3, 2021

(Mauro Lanari)
Jane Campion gets back to make a film after 12 years: allusive and not suggestive. It is the viewer's task to fill in the gaps in the story, but anyway, while trying to understand the motivations of the protagonists, one(Mauro Lanari)
Jane Campion gets back to make a film after 12 years: allusive and not suggestive. It is the viewer's task to fill in the gaps in the story, but anyway, while trying to understand the motivations of the protagonists, one realizes that they are not charming enough to be worth it. "The Power of the Dog" falls into the traps of that smug aestheticism that has marked a part of the New Zealand director's cinema, so "it's like 'Brokeback Mountain' but even more boring".… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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8

MattBrady99Dec 3, 2021

“I want to say how nice it is not to be alone.”

‘The Power of the Dog’ is a triumph return for director Jane Campion after a 12-year absence from cinema. The movies pace is steady and patient, so some people will take issue with that and“I want to say how nice it is not to be alone.”

‘The Power of the Dog’ is a triumph return for director Jane Campion after a 12-year absence from cinema. The movies pace is steady and patient, so some people will take issue with that and find the movie too slow and uneventful, but for me, I was never bored by it. Instead, I was captivated by its eeriness and complexity. It’s a movie that never explains itself and nothing is articulated, but you can pinpoint the long-troubled history just from reading the characters faces and actions. This is one of Benedict Cumberbatch’s best performance of his career and it’s my favourite role from him. He plays Phil Burbank, a repulsive and cruel human being, who deep down has this boiling rage inside of him that he unleashes by abusing animals such as horses. However, I also found the character fascinating, because you never really know why he does the things he does. The expression throughout the movie was irritation, as if the western wind said something that got under his skin. His got the personality of a misbehaved child, sometimes mimicking and mocking those around him. Sulky and strange, with a thousand-yard stare. But man, Jesse ‘mother **** Plemons, who plays George Burbank, the brother of Phil Burbank. I mean, holy **** what a natural and gifted performer. His relationship with his brother is complicated to say the least, and George is powerless to Phil’s constant insults towards his weight, appearance, and his new love for a female hotel keeper. Even then, the two brothers would still share a bed together. As I said before, it's complicated. Kirsten Dunst plays Rose, a local hotel keeper who romantically falls for Jesse Plemons and gets thrown into the ranch life, something she and her son are not suited for, which sets the story into motion. Her son is played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, an awkward kid who stands out for the wrong reasons. Dunst and McPhee, both child stars who grew up into maturity on film and both deliver effective performances. Just from the facial expressions alone they manage to convey some much hurt and curiosity that the characters experience when in the presence of Phil Burbank. It’s one of the finest roles. The use of music here isn’t something you will remember after the movie ends, but I feel that when re-watching it, the score, along with the scenes playing out, makes the experience more hypnotizing and oddly mystical. The movie was filmed in New Zealand, and it never looked more beautiful until Jane Campion is behind the camera. Even with the muted colours and harsh quality to it, it still felt dreamy. Although, if you’re a massive lover of animals, then beware because there’s a couple of scenes in this movie of animal abuse that may upset you. It’s not on screen for long, like a few seconds, but man those few seconds are rough. Or just cover your eyes. Overall rating: *whistles menacingly*… Expand

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7

ItIsIDec 2, 2021

A very quiet and subtle revenge story full of beautiful visuals and great performances. Not for the impatient

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0

Sqarni13Dec 2, 2021

worst movie ever made there is nothing interesting about this movie I didn’t enjoy watching it

7 of 15 users found this helpful78

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7

TVJerryDec 2, 2021

Benedict Cumberbatch takes on another distinctly different character as a gruff, but respected ranch owner in 1800s Montana. He becomes more sullen when his brother (Jesse Plemons) brings home a new wife and her son (Kirsten Dunst and KodiBenedict Cumberbatch takes on another distinctly different character as a gruff, but respected ranch owner in 1800s Montana. He becomes more sullen when his brother (Jesse Plemons) brings home a new wife and her son (Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee), so he subtlety sets out to harass them. Director Jane Campion has created a dark story full of slow burn tension (sometimes too slow). Cumberbatch relishes his character’s obscure secrets with intensity and the rest of the cast rises to his challenge. In Campion’s style, the quietly-observed environment (from mountains to bugs) adds to the menacing mood, but her penchant for unusual understated characters and interactions makes the film an interesting psychological drama.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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8

bertobellamyDec 2, 2021

"...A man was made by patience and the odds against him."

"My father said... Obstacles. And you had to try and remove them." Jane Campion's latest is a slow-burning western that will crawl up your skin, paving up the way for an unavoidable"...A man was made by patience and the odds against him."

"My father said... Obstacles. And you had to try and remove them."

Jane Campion's latest is a slow-burning western that will crawl up your skin, paving up the way for an unavoidable and very human resolution.

The film follows the Burbanks, two brothers that oversee a big ranch in Montana. When the mild-mannered George marries a local widow, Phil, his cruel and manly brother, makes everything at his hand to make her life impossible. Benedict Cumberbatch shines as the evil Phil. The actor makes it easy to hate him from the beginning, showcasing toxic masculinity that, in appearance, defines his character. Also, Kodi Smit-McPhee, as the child of the widow — played by a melancholic Kirsten Dunst —, delivers a masterful performance. As a young man trying to overcome past traumas and making up his way to be someone of value, it is he who, in the end, gives the initial phrase here a whole new meaning.

And can we talk about Jonny Greenwood's score? It would be a crime not to give that man an Oscar. And just wait to listen to the one he made for 'Spencer.'

All in all, 'The Power of the Dog' is a solid film, and I bet it will be fighting in plenty of categories in next year's Academy Awards.… Expand

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10

NicAustinDec 2, 2021

Deliver My Soul from the Sword of Masculinity

Psalm 22:20, as read towards the end of THE POWER OF THE DOG, states: “Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” But who is the dog in this situation? Depending onDeliver My Soul from the Sword of Masculinity

Psalm 22:20, as read towards the end of THE POWER OF THE DOG, states: “Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” But who is the dog in this situation? Depending on how you interpret Bible verses, it could be one of two people. Or it could be both; I’m sure Jane Campion would argue that. And who am I to argue against Campion? After all, she did just create a masterpiece. A masterpiece that interrogates masculinity and femininity in the brutal rolling plains of Montana.

Every frame of Campion’s Western she wrote and directed has some type of phallic or feminine imagery, from coarse bullwhips and wood logs to beautifully shot deep valleys and mountain peaks. Sometimes those images are used violently and sometimes sexually, which is no surprise. Campion works best when interrogating the vacillating themes of violence and sexuality. THE POWER OF THE DOG stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons as brothers Phil and George Burbank. While George is patient and soft, Phil is cruel and callous. George allows Phil to continuously call him “fatso” if it keeps the peace, and in one memorable scene, Phil whips a horse for no reason because of an annoyance. They have a “tenuous peace” on their ranch, one that is disrupted by the arrival of George’s new wife, Rose (Kirsten Dunst), and later, her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Rose is visually perturbed by Phil, their relationship plays like a horror film, but she is more concerned about her teenage son and the ridicule he endures at the hands of Cumberbatch’s rancher.

From the very beginning, when Phil laughs off Peter’s craftsmanship at creating paper flowers that causes Rose to weep, to a tense scene where Rose is ridiculed when trying to play on her new piano — each time she tries to play results with Phil outplaying her with his banjo — Rose is keenly aware of just how cruel Phil can be, untethering her from a fragile disposition.

But it’s the relationship between Phil and Peter that surprises, one that questions the nature of masculinity and femininity without a firm resolution (which we have to admit makes the best films). Although the true nature of Phil and Peter may elude most viewers, what I can say is that Phil has a capacity to love that most won’t understand other than many repressed, closeted men. And Peter? I’ll just say the Zodiac Killer would’ve served well under his tutelage. Perhaps I give too much away, but a film is supported by how its characters leave one contemplative. Cumberbatch and Smit-McPhee do an incredible job at conveying the warring emotions within each of them. Cumberbatch plays against type (even though he brings a longing for something to all his roles). Smit-McPhee is the true breakout, bringing a quiet snakiness layered upon shed skins. Plemons was perfectly cast as the even-tempered George, not stunt casting for natural chemistry with Dunst, whose work encompasses her entire filmography. From the naivety and silliness portrayed in her younger roles, to, well, the melancholia of MELANCHOLIA and nervous mania on display in FARGO, Dunst plays her role with full range.

What’s at the heart of THE POWER OF THE DOG? Betrayal? Cruelty? Writer Annie Proulx of “Brokeback Mountain” described the novel by Thomas Savage Campion based her film off of as “gripping and powerful”. Both her novel’s adaptation and Campion’s work have those attributes in common. Both present masculinity as both a hindrance and a conduit to one’s desires. Masculinity is a double-edged sword and one must wield it at their peril.… Expand

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10

Ghazale77Dec 2, 2021

من عاشق این فیلم شدم. واقعا هنرمندانه هست و بندیکت کامبربچ واقعا خوش درخشیده.

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10

atifkaDec 2, 2021

you enjoy discovering meaning in details? This movie would give you the chance of it. What a masterpiece!

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8

HabibiehakimDec 2, 2021

I just wish they had more story with Phil and Peter because both of them was truly the real Power Of The Dog, Benedict Cumberbatch performance was an award deserve, he was so good, though it might takes a little bit of time, overall he wasI just wish they had more story with Phil and Peter because both of them was truly the real Power Of The Dog, Benedict Cumberbatch performance was an award deserve, he was so good, though it might takes a little bit of time, overall he was amazing, so do Kodi Smit-McPhee, while Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons was kinda just there, Kirsten Dunst did have a great moments and she was great, Jesse Plemons though not only he have a pretty little role, he was the least in terms of performance, he was just alright, again i just wish they have something more with Phil and Peter but overall The Power Of The Dog is still have a lot of great moments and it still a great movie.… Expand

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0

LephtyDec 2, 2021

I had high hopes for this film being that I am somewhat familiar with the director and wanted to see a female take on the western genre. I read the book it’s based on more than twenty years ago but I have to say the film was a disappointment.I had high hopes for this film being that I am somewhat familiar with the director and wanted to see a female take on the western genre. I read the book it’s based on more than twenty years ago but I have to say the film was a disappointment. It all starts with cowboy rancher Phil not taking off his chaps or hat indoors which no self respecting cowboy would do, he wears spurs all day everyday and speaks with a horrible American accent. I could forgive this since Benedict was pretty good but the whole movie is a There Will Be Blood ripoff. From the cinematography to the soundtrack to the shots it seems to be a film students take on the source material who hasn’t found her own voice. I am appalled at the critical acclaim and the fact that no “professional” critics noticed the similarities with There Will Be Blood. I guess as long as you’re a woman making a gay cowboy movie your lack of originality can be overlooked.… Expand

12 of 17 users found this helpful125

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1

LsarDec 1, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Look, in short this movie has a queer coded and violent antagonist who is killed by a neurodivergent young adult. Even if you excuse these blatant and outdated tropes, this movies legit sucks. It is not tense, it is boring. The cinematography is ruined by the horrible script and one note acting by Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst (I’m sorry Queen I think you can do better). If you need to rely on queer coded villains in the year 2021 well then you’re just a horrible writer. Get off your Hays code era bs and write some actual drama. This movie was lifeless and dull. Beyond relying on horrible tropes, this movie just has no inspiration. You want the fall of the Wild West personified? Go play Red Dead Redemption 2. Go read All The Pretty Horses. Go drink half a bottle of Makers and slam your head against a wall. You will gain a greater understanding of the west by doing any of these compared to watching this slow rotting corpse. Legit 0/10 I will scream about how bad this movie is I cannot believe it is a Metacritic must see.… Expand

9 of 13 users found this helpful94

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5

JoshTurkeyDec 1, 2021

Really intelligent plot. Distorts expectations by a mile, playing on obvious tropes, only in the end to turn it all on its head. Movie of the year!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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10

AH6499Nov 30, 2021

The Only thing I can say is this film is probably one of the very best movies which I have seen in recent years!

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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10

deemoorahNov 29, 2021

"Deliver me from the sword, my previous life from the power of the dogs"

Not going to spoil anything, let's just say
The plot? Amazing!
The acting? Phenomenal!
The twist? Holy ****

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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10

katezoeNov 29, 2021

Tension from beginning to end. Jane Campion does another fascinating psychological movie. Benedict Cumberbatch gives an excellent performance and in a very other worldly performance Kodi Smit-McPhee steels the show.

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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2

JudgeSmailsNov 28, 2021

The best thing about the movie was the style of it- sort of a There Will Be Blood atmosphere to it. However, it digressed into some heavy handed messaging and overwrought acting that was hard to take seriously.

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10

aceshop3Nov 26, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TL;DR: Jane Campion made another masterpiece, perhaps her greatest, and this from someone who didn't think Angel At My Table or The Piano could be topped. A sweltering, puzzle-box, jewel of a film. Some say it is a "slow-burn", but when there's a piano-banjo duel that feels as tense as a high-wire act between two skyscrapers, I think it's fair to say that this doesn't feel slow even if it might technically be. The astonishing cinematography by Ari Wegner and an unsettling score by Jonny Greenwood, and four stunning performances, keep this going till the credits, when you realize the only flaw is that it isn't far longer. Awards bodies should probably create new accolades for Kirsten Dunst for her masterstroke of a performance that is the film's crown jewel, as well as Benedict Cumberbatch for whom this is hands-down a career-best, one that will make you rethink everything you know about him: both deliver imperceptibly shapeshifting characters. For those revisiting this after your first watch: after you've worked out the "how", you might want to rewatch Rose's monologue to Peter, her distress and his blithe assumption that that is what she wants.

On a meta level, the film is a deep-dive into what "masculinity" is: is it a performance? Is it fundamentally misogynistic, classist, and homophobic? Who claims "masculinity"? On a basic plot level, it's a story about alliances and rivalries within a family and along the class divide in 1920s Montana.

We get a rich character study of four central players. There's Phil Burbank (Cumberbatch) & his brother George Burbank (Jesse Plemons, stunningly naturalistic), rich ranch-owners. Phil is spiteful, whipsmart, and nostalgic for the "real men" of the past. George is his soft-spoken foil who harbors a secret desire to move into society. Phil and George visit an inn, owned by a widow Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst) and her effete son, Peter Gordon (a career-breakout for Kodi Smit-McPhee). Peter, the put-upon "sissy" may be the one character not trying to put on a "face". But what we assume about him comes into scrutiny.

Based on the Thomas Savage novel, the story shifts into gear when George marries the working-class Rose, who moves onto the ranch, setting off an epic Phil-Rose battle of wills. Why? Would Phil torture any woman George would've married? Is it because Rose is working-class, because she's a woman, or because she's Rose? Here's where things get subversive: Rose is exactly like and nothing like any leading female character Campion's shown on-screen. In the way she careens into alcoholism, abandoned by George in an isolated mansion, Dunst grabs the audience's sympathy and never lets go. But in the way she plays every scene with multiple interpretations, she's not the paranoid drunk one might assume. A powerful monologue delivered while drunk to Peter in the final act, with Dunst careening between laughter, tears, amidst a shocking realization about her son, we realize what makes Rose tick.

Meanwhile, Phil has sunk his teeth into Peter. What does Phil mean to do? What ulterior motives does he have? What has he hidden about himself? His psychological torture of Rose may have revealed much of it already, but it's when Phil is alone, and later with Peter that you get to see how truly universal and beautiful this twisted character is. The trick, perhaps, is in realizing this isn't just about Phil's masculinity, but Peter's and George's too. Or maybe it's about goodness and kindness, things upon which all of Rose's words depend. What the patronized, gaslit Rose knows, tries and fails to communicate versus what the savant Phil knows and communicates, how that shifts and inverts through the story, what it says about humans—that represents the real tragedy. Campion has outdone herself.… Expand

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7

moviemitch96Nov 25, 2021

In 1925 Montana, a grouchy and irritable rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) shows hostility and resentment towards his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst), until he appears to have a change of heart and decides to take her youngIn 1925 Montana, a grouchy and irritable rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) shows hostility and resentment towards his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst), until he appears to have a change of heart and decides to take her young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) under his wing. Directed by Jane Campion and based off a novel of the same name, this slow-burn western has a lot going for it. Noteworthy performances, especially from Cumberbatch and Dunst really elevate the film. Cumberbatch is equal parts sadistic and oddly intriguing. You never really know what his character will say or do next, while Dunst on the other hand gives one her most raw and vulnerable performances to date. Plemons is also in top form here. Another highlight is the beautiful landscape and cinematography used here. The film is beautifully photographed. However, the film also felt a bit lost and aimless often times to me, something not even the acting and camera-work could quite explain or compensate for. This also culminated in a rather anti-climatic ending, and I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed by the end. Overall, fantastic performances from the cast and pretty photography couldn't quite make up for or explain why the film just seems to wander rather aimlessly and end with a shrug.… Expand

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7

benjanzenNov 25, 2021

The Power Of The Dog is a beautifully crafted and technically brilliant film. The cinematography, direction, score and performances are all excellent. I appreciated its subtle and patient exploration of masculinity, though it often feltThe Power Of The Dog is a beautifully crafted and technically brilliant film. The cinematography, direction, score and performances are all excellent. I appreciated its subtle and patient exploration of masculinity, though it often felt distant and never quite came together for me.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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9

ismacinefiloNov 23, 2021

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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10

KotareNov 21, 2021

This film just blew me away. Can't stop thinking about it; it's one of those films that you need a repeat reviewing which I think is the greatest praise.

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

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0

Jacko16Nov 20, 2021

This is my #1 worst movie of all time, some movies are so bad they become funny how bad they are like "The Room", this is sitting at the perfect level where it's just terrible. It thinks it's so much smarter than it is, trying to be aThis is my #1 worst movie of all time, some movies are so bad they become funny how bad they are like "The Room", this is sitting at the perfect level where it's just terrible. It thinks it's so much smarter than it is, trying to be a masterpiece like "There Will Be Blood" or "No Country For Old Men" but with zero substance, resulting in a self-important pile of garbage. Benedict Cumberbatch overacts and puts on a terrible American accent, it looks like some tacky theatre performance. Nothing to say that's positive for this whole mess, I watched it for the high review score which is very suspect because it's literally the worst film I've ever seen.… Expand

11 of 31 users found this helpful1120

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10

SamimacedoNov 20, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Filme incrivel, gostei demaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaais.atuacoes impecáveis, cinematografia linda.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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10

ayatay1995Nov 19, 2021

This movie won't leave you alone! I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I watched it 2 months ago.
Benedict Cumberbatch is mesmerizing and his performance is Daniel Day-Lewis level.

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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10

DuskybatfishgrlNov 17, 2021

This film is an epic masterpiece shredding the trope of the macho cowboy & the genre from inside out. Stunningly shot by Ari Wegner, Greenwood’s

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

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10

NadineElizabethNov 19, 2021

Stunning. Raw. Complex. Challenging. Heartbreaking. Iconoclastic. Innovative. Reverential. Sensual. I could go on foerver. Favorite movie of the year. Dunst and Cumberbatch are supreme. Jane Campion has done it again

6 of 10 users found this helpful64

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10

NorgliostroNov 17, 2021

talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, **** on it, vomit on it, eat it, givetalented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, **** on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.… Expand

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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10

Alex997Nov 17, 2021

It took Campion 11 years to return to feature films but the waiting was worth it because she came back bearing something frightening, powerful and breathtakingly beautiful. The main character’s cruelty seems to come from a dark place brimmingIt took Campion 11 years to return to feature films but the waiting was worth it because she came back bearing something frightening, powerful and breathtakingly beautiful. The main character’s cruelty seems to come from a dark place brimming with self-loathing and loneliness. Despite his brutality I don’t think Phil was a monster but a deeply sad, fragile and tortured human being. Excellently directed and with brilliant performances from its ensemble cast The Power of the Dog is a scorching tale of sinister passion and fury.… Expand

5 of 11 users found this helpful56

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10

MoviesAtSunsetNov 17, 2021

Just astounding. It’s a slow burn yes but the denouement is astonishing and gets under your skin well, forever! A good film changes your mood, a masterpiece changes your perspective. See it on a big screen if you can and see if more than once

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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8

livinmediocreNov 17, 2021

I need to watch more movies by Jane Campion. That was my biggest takeaway from watching “The Power of the Dog,” one of a few westerns coming out this year, and even one of a few films set in Montana, something that is greatly appreciated byI need to watch more movies by Jane Campion. That was my biggest takeaway from watching “The Power of the Dog,” one of a few westerns coming out this year, and even one of a few films set in Montana, something that is greatly appreciated by somebody who loves the landscape. It’s Campion’s first film since 2009’s “Bright Star.” The film is so gently told, which is a surprising contrast to the callous personality of its protagonist. Adapted from a 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage, we see Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, and Kirsten Dunst give some of their best performances, alongside the film’s shining player Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Benedict Cumberbatch has always been an incredibly interesting on-screen force. And when put to the task of playing a shady, cold, and damaged man, he puts his incredibly charming characteristics to work to help you see him in the role even more. Kirsten Dunst portrays Rose as an incredibly delicate woman, playing into the roles set for the time; cleaning and helping around while the men work, but also showing the effects of such roles with her spiral into alcoholism and fear of the environment surrounding. And Jesse Plemons plays a similar role to what we might be used to. His quietness and neutrality deceive, making him seem like he might just be a victim to Phil’s toxicity, but he does hold firm in his positions. Among the principal cast, Thomas McKenzie plays a young maid, with an incredibly limited screen presence, and Genevieve Lemon plays a role as the housekeeper for the Burbank ranch, a return collaborator for Jane Campion. Overall, the cast was really great, yet did feel somewhat limited by their screen time in comparison to Benedict and Kodi.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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10

Ma6499294Nov 17, 2021

Wow I'm speechless. The Power Of The Dog is a masterpiece! One of the very best films of the year, I can see not everyone liking it but with patience and paying attention to the details you will freak out at the end. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Best.

7 of 12 users found this helpful75

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The Power of the Dog

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