A marvel of great modern cinema that reinvents an age-old genre, with impeccable performances from Cumberbatch and Dunst.
The need for the western genre to evolve over time to integrate itself in today’s new age of cinema has become apparent, to detour away from the usual blueprint of “Cowboys and Indians” and the typical gunslinger narrative of protection and serve for hapless locals. So, it is a breath of fresh air to watch a dark and gothic like drama that is all about atmosphere and feeling, as well as offering a very unsettling character observation of a trio of warring characters – all very different from the last. Layers upon layers of intricate character development and a powerfully chilling score from the masterful Jonny Greenwood allows The Power of the Dog to sore across the eerie plateau where it is set. Jane Campion once again shows us all how imperious she can be, with this possibly being the best of her high regarded resume.
Behind the camera, Ari Wegner is skilfully astute at aiding to the film’s great storytelling ability. The western genre has always been a tool used for projecting the beauty of exquisite landscapes, in this case, the great American Mid-West in all its glory. However, something interesting is how the camera is often used as an additional character; panning in and out and using slow zooms, with the characters reacting to the movements of the camera as if it were a person – a little touch of class for its eerie aura.
The Power of the Dog possesses many great qualities; the acting (which we’ll get to, don’t worry), the writing, the direction, and yet it is the perfectly orchestrated score that really grabs you attention. Jonny Greenwood (for all you Radiohead fanboys and girls out there), who is not only a superbly talented musician, but his work with PTA over the years has led him to become a great composer of film scores, and this is surely one of his best. Effortlessly creating atmosphere from the mere pluck of his guitar string. Greenwood and Westerns seem to be perfectly suited for one another, with its grandeur and coldness being the perfect muse for Greenwood. This is surely a contender for the best score at the Oscars, although he will need to beat himself it seems for his work on Spencer – imagine being that talented, we can only dream.
Cumberbatch is masterful as Phil Burbank; there is a mysticism and a mystery to his performance, that assists in the darkness of his character. For me, it is undoubtedly the performance of his career; he is officious and dominates every scene he is present in – I can see the awards stacking up for him this year. What is equally impressive, and domineering, is the performance of Kirsten Dunst as Rose, the troubled wife of George Burbank (Jesse Plemons). The development of Rose is heart breaking – she is a shadow of her former self. Dunst is perfectly nuanced; beginning with great subtlety and naivety, before transforming into a broken alcoholic mess with incredible emotion, a woman tormented by the actions of Phil. This is without a question Dunst’s best performance for years, it’s wonderful to watch her in such a powerful role. The Power of the Dog is a three-pronged attack of great competing performances though, with Kodi Smit-McPhee deserving tremendous credit because he is brilliant as the insecure, effeminate, and very cunning son of Rose. Together though, the three of them are magnetic.
The relationships throughout are key to the structuring of the narrative; Phil shows a lot of disdain for his brother George, they are two sides of a coin, vastly different but still bonded together by their blood. What is even more interesting is the relationship between Phil and Peter, what starts off as hostility develops into an unusual homoerotic understanding, feelings that have stemmed from Phil’s upbringing by his own mentor, “Bronco” Henry – what happened in those lonely mountains I wonder? Watching the layers of these characters unfold really is holistic.
The Power of the Dog is a marvel of brilliant cinema, it has it all, outstanding performances, an imposing storytelling ability, a magical score from Greenwood – all the early praise I heard about is fully justified. This could be one of the great modern westerns, in fact, it surely must be – its style and feeling are strikingly beautiful and unheard of. It is just so unique, so reliant on the aura and the setting, with deeply layered characters, the path it takes always keeps you guessing as well, swerving one way and then another so succinctly.
The film is often slow at times but still always frightfully chilling, which is a credit to the writing, the direction, and the score. Campion has already won The Golden Lion for direction at the Venice film festival, surely this won’t be her last award of the year? – it would be a travesty if it was – and not only Campion but the cast and crew as well, it really is a monumental film.
The Power of the Dog is available to watch on Netflix now.
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