• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Chicago Critics Film Festival Capsule Review – The Power of the Dog

October 28, 2021 by Robert Kojder

The Power of the Dog, 2021.

Written and Directed by Jane Campion.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, Thomasin McKenzie, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Frances Conroy, Keith Carradine, Peter Carroll, Adam Beach, and Sean Keenan.

SYNOPSIS:

Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.

Rarely does a film sink its teeth in like The Power of the Dog, and from literally the opening seconds, no less. A foreboding line of voice narration questioning “what kind of man would I be if I didn’t help my mother” hangs heavy over writer/director Jane Campion’s (based on the novel by Thomas Savage) deeply complex character study. At the same time, Jonny Greenwood’s pulse-pounding score works in tandem with Ari Wegner’s lush framing of the 1925 American frontier (Montana, although technically shot in New Zealand), instantly absorbing and never letting up until the closing shot. And even then, it’s not over considering, while the film is a staggeringly penetrating work of art the first go around, contemplation and re-watches are sure to yield more subtle revelations regarding these methodically written characters.

Said opening sequence follows two brother cattle ranchers, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons), along with their crew handling some business before retiring for the night at a nearby inn run by widow Rose (Kirsten Dunst) with help from her socially awkward, lanky, and non-masculine son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). All four performances are incredible for distinct reasons, but Benedict Cumberbatch has a taller challenge that he crushes.

Phil is a borderline psychopathic rancher respected through a blending of charisma and dominance with an unabashed affection for his dying lifestyle (which could explain some of his hostility and cold-blooded callousness), usually telling stories of the glory days between him and his idol/best friend Bronco Henry. He also sees fit to hurl obscenities at Peter for having unique hobbies such as making paper flowers to set on each table. George is the opposite, but we also get a sense that he is tired of Phil and his menacing attitude. Whatever the case may be, he comforts Rose, routinely comes back to visit her, soon getting married.

The Power of the Dog so vividly re-creates a place in time with every single shot providing something noteworthy to marvel at, whether it be something discernible about the characters themselves, the vast landscapes, or something as simple yet impressionable as the burning of a cigarette. There are also those damn spurs pounding the floorboards as if Phil is the bogeyman. They are sure to haunt forever, just like the profundity of The Power of the Dog. Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst deliver the performances of their careers, and in a righteous world, Jane Campion will start a streak for female filmmakers winning the Best Director Oscar.

The Power of the Dog will have its Chicago premiere at the historic Music Box. Purchase your tickets here; don’t miss out on this lyrically moving masterpiece, far and away one of the absolute best movies of the year.

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com

 

Filed Under: Festivals, Movies, Reviews, Robert Kojder Tagged With: Adam Beach, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chicago International Film Festival, Frances Conroy, jane campion, jesse plemons, Keith Carradine, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Peter Carroll, Sean Keenan, The Power of the Dog, Thomasin McKenzie

About Robert Kojder

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Enviable “Worst” Films of David Fincher

Movies That Actually Really Need A Remake!

The Essential Revisionist Westerns of the 21st Century

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark Revisited: The Birth of a Horror Icon

Knight Rider: The Story Behind the Classic 1980s David Hasselhoff Series

7 Cult 90s Teen Movies You May Have Missed

The Must-See Movies of 2015

Classic Retro Video Games Based on 80s UK TV Game Shows

The Most Obscure and Underrated Slasher Movies of the 1980s

Horror Sequel Highs & Lows

Top Stories:

Movie Review – Saint Clare (2025)

18 Incredible 21st Century Films You May Have Missed

Feel the Heat: 10 Uncomfortably Hot and Sweaty Films

10 Great 1980s Sci-Fi Adventure Movies

James Gunn’s Superman soars with $217 million worldwide box office opening

Movie Review – Eddington (2025)

Comic Book Review – Star Trek: Red Shirts #1

Movie Review – Superman (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

The Essential New French Extremity Movies

Peeping Tom: A Voyeuristic Masterpiece of the Slasher Subgenre

Ten Essential British Horror Movies You Need To See

Ten Essential Films of the 1960s

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket