Review of The Power of the Dog (2021) by Bertobellamy — 02 Dec 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.