Netflix Western From Master Filmmaker Divided Fans But Deserves Another Look

Benedict Cumberbatch plays the lead role of Phil Burbank, who is a tough and ornery ranch boss who doesn’t much respect his more civilized brother, George, or George’s new wife Rose. Actor Jesse Plemons of Breaking Bad fame plays George, while Kirsten Dunst plays Rose.

Phil also doesn’t like Rose’s teenage son, Peter, who is played quite brilliantly by Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee.

At least, Phil doesn’t like Peter at first, but he takes a liking to the teen the more he gets to know him. Eventually, that leads to serious trouble for Phil in The Power of the Dog.

Phil has an undying admiration and longing for former rancher Bronco Henry, who died years ago and initially seems like the typical leader in an iconic Western. The admiration is for Henry’s former excellence as a rancher, and the longing is due to the hidden love affair between the two men, which is the story line that divided the film’s fans.

Eventually, Peter discovers a way to use Phil’s longing for such a relationship against him, but in ways that are very subtle and quite effective.

Peter is seemingly frail and unknowing in the world of the West, but he makes his mark of Phil and others as he uses his mind rather than brawn to get what he wants.

The remaining cast is filled with many highly recognizable actors and actresses, including Harvey Keitel, Meg Ryan, Sam Neill, Keith Carradine, Paul Dano, Kevin Bacon, Holly Hunter, and many more. There literally are too many to list in just one paragraph.

Director and screenwriter Jane Campion adapted the story from the similarly titled 1967 novel by Thomas Savage. Although the film is set in Montana in 1925, Campion chose to film The Power of the Dog in New Zealand.

Netflix distributed the film, which had a limited run in November 2021 and then was presented on the streaming giant. The limited theater run qualified the film for Academy Award consideration, and it received a dozen nominations in 2022.

Campion won the Oscar for Best Director, but the film didn’t win any other categories, including nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, and two for Best Supporting Actor for Smit-McPhee and Plemons.

Its 11 losses is a record for any film, but one that only affirms the movie’s general excellence. The Power of the Dog is ranked among the best films of 2021 and its especially noted for its outstanding cinematography and sound.

GFR SCORE

The film runs for 126 minutes, which gives its outstanding cast plenty of time to help Campion weave a masterwork of film making. The result is a film of stunning proportions that combines exceptional storytelling, cinematography, and acting into one fine presentation that very much earned its many Academy Award considerations. You can enjoy watching The Power of the Dog on Netflix.