The Power of the Dog (2021)

[Eric Atreides]

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[filmlover]

A very well-made film from Jane Campion that takes an unusual, and effective, approach to the Western (one that will no doubt test the patience of those who expect the more pulse-pounding material typically found within the genre). The chilly Phil is the kind of character that's within Benedict Cumberbatch's wheelhouse: while he's definitely a very good actor, I often find him to be a bit too cold of a presence, and that can make even characters like Doctor Strange to be a bit off-putting at times. That clinical aura fits perfectly here for a performance that hits all the right notes without ever overplaying or underplaying the part, and results in what's easily his best work to date IMO. He receives effective support from Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons (real life couple playing a detached married one on screen), and a revelatory Kodi Smit-McPhee. Many of the shots here are absolutely incredible too. It's not a movie that's easy to fully embrace, but it achieves most of what it sets out to do and lingers once it concludes. B+

[MOVIEGUY]

 

This was a chore... that I guess I gave myself, no one forced me to watch it. But I heard it was good, and I kept waiting for it to get good, and it never did. Just dull scene after dull scene with characters I didnt give a shit about. I guess the story goes in some unexpected places but I completely lost interest an hour in

[Flopped]

The best film of 2021 along with Worst Person in the World...but that's not saying much. B+