The Power of the Dog

“What kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother? If I did not save her?” Jane Campion's latest film certainly can't be denied its visible ambition and its push for film awards. The Power of the Dog has a solid cast in its arsenal and an engaging theme that spans different genres and corners as the plot unfolds. In addition, it features some beautiful locations of plains somewhere in Montana. However, it is quite dragged down by the sometimes too gradual build up of the plot. Campion works skilfully with hints and dead ends in the plot, which is why I found the denouement surprising but not shocking. The way Campion builds tension and relationships between the characters left me feeling uneasy – the interactions of Phil and Peter or Phil and Rose intrigued me, while Phil and George and George and Rose passed me by. Last but not least, I have to criticize the soundtrack, which distracted me throughout the film rather than enhancing the atmosphere. Academically cool, yet cleverly hinted at and genre-defying, it's a contender for several Oscars. (2022-01-11)

It's one thing to make a movie that's boring as hell whose every second is absolutely mind-numbing and unbearable. But when it’s combined with a totally off-putting soundtrack, a pathetic artsy narrative style, a seemingly profound story, and a terribly shocking punchline, then it becomes true "art". It can win all the film awards in the world, but from my perspective, none of them are going to polish up this turd. (2022-03-07)

A film where the protagonists look at each other in different acting positions and almost all the time, where the music supports the overall tension and a kind of invisible suspense, with the camera taking rolling panoramas of Montana. A lot could happen, but in the end nothing really does. A poorly made film by a director who obviously wanted to replicate the fragility and poetry of Pian, but incorporating it into a gritty western doesn't work. I don’t get the Oscar, I believe it put to sleep more than one viewer. And it almost put me to sleep. (2022-04-19)

Initial Impressions: Benedict Cumberbatch proves yet again why he's a stellar actor with an incredible voice, the cinematography was a standout in the film, and it seems time hasn't been too kind to Kirsten Dunst. As for the official plot summary, it caught me off guard; Phil Burbank didn't strike me as cruel. Sure, he had that ability to make your eyes water and your nose hairs curl upon first meeting, capable of being downright unpleasant, but "cruel" might only be seen that way by the generation of snowflakes who start crying over an untied shoelace. The main hiccup of the film? It felt like it was missing a plot. It was an honest two-hour yawn with sporadic moments of brightness. The pacing crawled along, the storyline felt uneventful, and even Benedict Cumberbatch couldn't salvage it; he needed a solid script to work with. / Lesson learned: Sorry, but Phil just wasn't a villain in my eyes. (2024-04-01)

Kodi Smit-Mcphee is going to have a hard time from the LGBT community. The Power of the Dog is a really weird family drama set in Montana in 1925, where it seems a key scene is missing, but wait! That’s on purpose. The characters suddenly change their demeanor thanks to something that happens off-camera. Campion simply hints at it and leaves the viewer to do the thinking. So the picture plays through without any sort of catharsis. It all stands on the shoulders of an excellent Cumberbatch who makes the very most of playing the rancher, really enjoying it. (2021-10-28)