The Power of the Dog (2021)

Although it good very good reviews I wasn’t a huge fan of this. It isn’t a conventional western. It deals with two rancher brothers (Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons): the first a driven and successful rancher but largely just a jerk, while the second is likeable although lazy and largely seems to be coasting on his brother’s work. Plemons marries a local widow (Kirsten Dunst) whom Cumberbatch dislikes. The first half of the film is largely about the escalating tensions between them. In the second half they’re joined by the widow’s effeminate son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and the rest of the film focuses on his relationship with Cumberbatch.

The latter half of the film is better than the first half I think – there’s an interesting twist at the end which is well set up. However I found whole thing (and first half especially) a bit slow and tedious. It’s clearly very well-made, and the new-Zealand locations look excellent. I think mainly it didn’t fit what I was looking for in a Western.

Although not a traditional Western I suspect it is worth a watch. It’s almost certainly a better and more interesting film than I’m giving it credit for. It definitely isn’t a straightforward traditional Western though.