Review of The Power of the Dog (2021) by Claytaylor21 — 19 Jan 2022

Now that I've seen this movie three times, I finally feel ready to write a review for it. The Power of the Dog is simply outstanding. It's one of the most beautiful movies of the year featuring heartstopping cinematography of sweeping landscapes and a tonally perfect score from Jonny Greenwood who is, in my opinion, the best composer working today.

This absorbing atmosphere takes you into a slow burn of a story with four characters that all have loads of depth. The main focus is on Phil Burbank, played flawlessly by Benedict Cumberbatch, as he inflicts his masculine wrath upon his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew.

The interactions between these four creates a tension-filled ride despite there being little action for much of the film. On first viewing, my only flaw was that I wasn't able to grasp the ending, but on rewatch I was able to catch onto all of the foreshadow and clues that lead up to the shocking climax.

Overall, I believe The Power of the Dog to be the best film of 2021, so if you can handle a slow burn please give it a shot.