The Power of the Dog - A Subtle Psychological Thriller

WorthAWatch Rating: 9/10

The Power of the Dog (Campion, 2021), Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil (right) and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Peter (left)

Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog is a beautifully adapted Western from the book of the same name, by Thomas Savage. Presented in chapters, the film follows the lives of two brothers – Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemons) – who own a ranch in Montana. The story begins in 1925.

The brothers emit differing attributes. Phil is the dirty labourer, dressed in farming attire, while George is the businessman, trying to emulate the high social standing of their parents. Although Phil bullies his brother, calling him ‘fatso’, he is emotionally reliant on having him around.

While eating at a small restaurant, run by Rose (Kirsten Dunst), the brothers’ differences in personality are visible. After Phil mistreats Rose’s son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), George takes it upon himself to comfort her. This blossoms into a romantic relationship, with the pair getting married. Phil never approves of the relationship and proceeds to emotionally torment Rose at every chance he gets. This also extends to Peter, until the two men form an unlikely friendship.

The Power of the Dog is an emotionally layered film. Subtle acts and words have deeper meanings in later scenes, as this psychological thriller leaves it late to throw the punching twist.

It is a slow-burn film. Some will disdain this, with it being perhaps less appealing to those audiences requiring special effects and action to keep them entertained. Nonetheless, with no action but fantastic dialogue and foreshadowing, each scene is meticulously crafted, showcasing Campion’s wonderful direction. Whether it is the placement of the camera, or the subtle actions taking place within, everything is streamlined to a well-crafted piece of art.

The story is underlined with a consistently focused score by Jonny Greenwood. It feels entirely necessary to the plot, almost dictating how we should feel in any given scene - unnerved, weird, or excited. There is a particular focus on the use of piano, which is suitable, as the instrument holds importance to the emotional degradation of Rose.

Although Cumberbatch's accent is inconsistent at times, he takes the reigns of this film and is excellent as the brooding Phil. He manages to keep the character grounded yet holds a sense of some deeper meaning within. Every movement, piece of dialogue, and emotion fall naturally from him. Whenever Cumberbatch is on screen, he demands attention.

As Rose, Kirsten Dunst delivers an Oscar worthy performance. She portrays vulnerability with such deep meaning, slowly showing the results of her emotional turmoil. Her relationship with the central piece of the house – the piano – becomes an instrument representing her downfall. To begin with, she sets out practising on it to please her husband and play for house guests. However, while playing she is excruciatingly distressed by Phil, as he teasingly plays the same song that she is practising on his banjo without any trouble at all from the floor above. When it comes time for Rose to perform in front of guests, Dunst portrays the emotion perfectly, displaying signs of a traumatised victim to the point that she cannot even play, with her fingers instead shivering above the keys. It is the subtlety of these scenes that creates a thrilling film.

The landscape of the film is central to the plot. The backdrop of the cliffs provides the ambiguous title of the film, as Cumberbatch’s character seems to be the only one who can spot the dog-shaped shadowed terrain, that is until Peter comes along. The ‘power’ dynamics between the characters are also equivocal in ways. Campion leads us to think of the dynamics in one way but progresses the story in another.

The mysteriousness of the film is most encapsulated through the continuous mention of a Bronco Henry and the oddness of Peter. Phil alludes to Bronco countless times, telling others how great he was on horseback, jumping over stacks of chairs on any given horse. Throughout, we wonder why he is mentioned so much. Kodi Smit-McPhee radiates the weird nature of his character. Peter is a seemingly innocent boy who creates paper flowers and cares deeply for his mother. This is juxtaposed by his killing of wild animals without hesitation. Ironically, it is not just Peter that feels out of place among peers, but also Phil at times. For example, when Phil’s co-workers are dancing with prostitutes, he stands idly by. As the friendship is eventually created between Phil and Peter we begin to see that Phil is becoming Bronco, and Peter is becoming what Phil once was.

Jane Campion’s first film in twelve years is not one to miss. A significant change from usual Westerns, The Power of the Dog takes a quieter approach. As well as not being filmed in the United States, but rather Campion’s homeland New Zealand, the film refrains from large action sequences or violent tension. Instead, what unfolds is a subtle psychological thriller.