Review 628: The Power of the Dog

 

Based on the novel The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage, Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a powerful Rancher in Montana, 1925. One day, his world is turned upside down when his younger brother George (Jesse Plemons) marries Rose (Kirsten Dunst), a widowed proprietress, and moves her and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) onto the ranch. Phil initially tries to drive them away through mockery and intimidation, but eventually appears to take Peter under his wing with motivations that may be sinister, but also hide untold secrets and the possibility of love.

 

Much like Campion's marvelous 1993 film, The Piano, not a lot happens in The Power of the Dog but the emotions are very strong 

 

Jane Campion's direction is  the cinematography is beautiful, giving the films Western landscapes a unique, idiosyncratic look to them rarely seen in Westerns. The score by Jonny Greenwood is

 

Benedict Cumberbatch  The character of Phil Burbank is a particularly nasty peice of work. Covered in dirt and bathing outdoors makes him akin to wild animal.  He has a pathological need to prove that he is roughest, toughest rancher in the west.

 

Kirsten Dunst

 

Jesse Plemons

 

Kodi Smit-McPhee