Over a decade since her last feature and Jane Campion returns to filmmaking with pensive Frontier mood-piece The Power of the Dog – premiering at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
Hypermasculinity in the wild, wild west is a dichotomy that has been under much scrutiny over the years with the genre often sidelining empowerment and feminism for the gruff, iron-clad cowboy. So it’s refreshing to see Campion come in and throw the formula into disarray, both playing into tropes while simultaneously flipping them inside out for what is one of Netflix’s stronger original films in a slate stacked full of new content this year. Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) Burbank enjoy quiet success on their grandiose estate thanks to their booming cattle ranch. They have a dynamic all figured out but it’s disrupted by the arrival of the widowed Rose (Kirsten Dunst) and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee); Phil is resentful, you see, and this change in routine brings trouble in paradise.
Adapting the acclaimed novel of the same name from Thomas Savage, Campion’s vision of a Montana of old feels reminiscent of Brokeback Mountain. But where Ang Lee’s rural America had a kindness to it, Campion’s is a cold and hostile environment where only the most macho survive. And we see this very early on in the power dynamic between Phil and George; the former is a domineering leader while the latter, despite being the brains and face of the family, is timid and obedient in comparison. Campion effectively peels back the layers of the Burbank relationship throughout her pensive 128-minute runtime; you understand why these people are not only the way they are, but why they need to be as the narrative moves them deftly, patiently, and most unpredictability like some sort of chess game. You never know where the film is going but, when Campion finally reveals her hand, it’s a thoughtful re-contextualisation of everything you’ve seen up until that point.
That being said, The Power of the Dog does ask a lot from its audience. It’s a slow burn but it’s not always the most engaging as Campion keeps things close to the chest pretty much until the end. Her movements are purposeful and understated and it’s hard to see mainstream Netflix audiences giving this film the benefit of the doubt when it hits the streamer at the end of the year. Still, it’s brilliantly captivating watching her at work. The cast is all masterfully helmed, delivering performances that feel rich and complex. You can feel the history behind each and every character. Cumberbatch, especially, is on top form in a role that feels against-type for the actor; Phil is brash and flippant and very clearly damaged and Cumberbatch is revelling in the opportunity to go to these depths. But there’s no obvious “this is bad”, “this is good” argument and Campion packs so much nuance into every line of dialogue and every detail. The film is in the audience’s hands and Campion invites us to reflect and ponder the great, superbly realised moral question at the heart of it: what exactly do you feel about it all?
The Power Of The Dog
Summary
A slow burn but brilliantly captivating full of rich and complex acting, particularly from Cumberbatch who is on top form.
