The Power of the Dog - Review

After taking over a decade of time off from directing feature films, writer/director Jane Campion (“Bright Star,” “In the Cut”) has returned with an adaptation of Thomas Savage’s most acclaimed book, “The Power of the Dog.” Don’t be fooled by the cowboy hats and wide vistas, this is not a western in the vein of “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” or either “True Grit.” It’s a taut, deliberately paced drama that rewards those with the patience to see it through with an incredible viewing experience.

While a simplistic plot on the surface, things quickly pick up and gain more intrigue as the film progresses. On a basic level, it follows Rose Gordon, played by Kirsten Dunst (“Spider-Man (2002),” “The Beguiled (2017)”), and her son Peter, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee (“ParaNorman,” “X-Men: Apocalypse”), as they move to the home of her new husband, rancher George Burbank, played by Jesse Plemons (“Game Night,” “Breaking Bad”), and are slowly psychologically tormented by his brother Phil, played by Benedict Cumberbatch (“Doctor Strange,” “The Imitation Game”), who believes Rose to be a gold digger.

There are plenty of moments of gorgeous wide open scenery and silence throughout the film, as its very deliberate pace allows for these moments to not feel out of place. The beginning is actually front loaded with quite a bit of dialogue; Campion makes the smart decision to place the slower, quieter moments after audiences are likely already invested in the tale, meaning they’re willing to deal with the slower pace of the film’s events.

Cumberbatch is exceptional in his role. Phil is clearly a tormented man hiding secrets, as opposed to someone who seeks to just be evil for the sake of it. He plays the role delicately, weaving just enough nuance and despicable-ness in to prevent him from becoming completely sympathetic but also not robbing him of any humanity. Plemons meanwhile makes for a good foil; he’s clearly the kinder of the two brothers, more soft spoken and able to speak and listen more determinedly, and the pair are electric when they’re together.

Dunst is good, but feels a bit more unhinged than the others. Maybe it's the elements of alcohol in the story, but it feels a bit like she’s playing up to 6 or 7 while everyone else is sitting comfortably at a 5. It’s not a bad performance by any means, just feels a tad bit carried away compared to the very specific vibe of the rest of the ensemble. McPhee is a true talent here. There’s a quiet menace to his character that’s hard to nail down through the entire picture. He’s the sort of character that, like Phil, never gets a clear and specific answer. It’s a truly meaty role that McPhee dives headfirst into, creating a portrait of awkwardness that never doubles for a lack of control or confidence.

“The Power of the Dog” is going to be an interesting film to see perform over the next few months. It's the sort of project that seems like the exact opposite of the kinds of films Netflix usually pushes, so it’s commercial performance is going to be extremely intriguing. It’s not just the pacing, the film also ends in a way that is obvious but isn’t spelled out at all. Campion never spoon feeds anything, anything, to the audience, and it results in a film that asks you to come to it on its own terms.

Even if you aren’t on board for the eerie tale being spun, it’s hard to deny that it's a gorgeous film to look at and listen to. Johnny Greenwood (“There Will Be Blood,” “Phantom Thread”) composes his second stunner of a score of the year following “Spencer,” and leans heavily into the banjo and piano motifs throughout the film, quietly plucking away at nerves with the pluck of each string.

Meanwhile cinematographer Ari Wegner (“Zola,” “True History of the Kelly Gang”) shoots the landscapes with an eye for, well, landscapes. Each shot seems to contain some element of scale, whether its the smaller things within the house or the grand locations outside of it. There’s a very specific use of larger and smaller people, items, locations, etc. that create a feeling of a chess board being played with. As if someone is moving all the pieces around as they please, or trying to, for their own ends.

“The Power of the Dog” is an eerie picture that sees Cumberbatch playing against his typically likable persona with a stable of actors all delivering excellent performances. It’s a gorgeous film to just live in for two hours, but it makes no concessions for its material. Either you approach it on its own terms, slow pace and all, or you just get off the horse. Those who commit will find themselves thoroughly rewarded with a fantastically taut dramatic tale that's suspenseful as it is beautiful. 4.5/5