One of the Strongest Films of the Year; The Power of the Dog.
- Ayush TAG
- Mar 13, 2022
- 3 min read
One of the first sentences that came into my mind when finishing The Power of the Dog was, "I need to watch this again." The film feels so layered and complex and I wanted to talk about the things I felt throughout the movie.
First off, it goes without saying that Benedict Cumberbatch's performance in this film was exhilarating. Apparently, he lived and breathed Phil Burbank while on set, going full method and becoming his character. It really pays off because the results are one of the most thought out and complicated characters I've seen put on screen. Phil Burbanks torments and bullies the people around him, and everything about the way he carries himself says toxic masculinity and misogyny, but this all is just a facade that hides his insecurities as a homosexual man. Feeling that he has to put on this masculine front in order to compensate for his homosexuality. After the second viewing of the film, this is the case, and more of Phil's character feels clear. For an example, I had missed the detail of Phil using a handkerchief with the initials "BH" oh them (Bronco Henry), to touch himself with when alone, then i made the connection that Bronco Henry was more than a strong mentor to Phil and possibly a romantic partner.
The bible passage the movie quotes, "deliver my soul from the sword; my darling, from the power of the dog" was the most brain wracking thing to piece together and was one of the main things that pushed me to re-watch the film a second time, the passages before and after the one that I quoted all seem about someones enemies. I didn't do too much background reading on the passage, but I believe it is saying is that someone is asking a higher being, possibly God, to "deliver my soul from the sword" likely meaning to guide them with fighting their enemies, or take them away from fighting and help them. Who in the movie wants to fight their enemies? Peter, played expertly by Kodi Smit-McPhee, is the bug-eyed and scrawny child who fits this description the closest. He wants to help his mother by murdering Phil Burbank so his mother could get better. That was the thing I could pinpoint as a meaning to the title and passage.
The film's main theme is all about masculinity and the different sides of it. You have the toxic side and that is shown through Phil. He lashes out at people and hints misogyny towards Rose. You have Goerge Burbank, who is more laid-back and calmer than his brother, but still is inconsiderate to the feelings of women in a way as well. When Rose says she can't play the "pinano" for the governor and his lady, Goerge insists she does and this ends up being a train wreck as Rose doesn't know how to play and Goerge didn't care for it before. Then you have Peter, who starts the film off saying, "what type of MAN would I be, if I didn't take care of my mother? " So the entire film really tries to see what a man is, and the effects of different types of masculinity put on women by men.
I also feel like the fact that they dressed Phil in neat, civilized clothes at the end of the film. Contrasting his entire character to this point really shows that he is dying of anthrax, or that is what I pulled out of that experience.
They set the entire film against this stellar and intense score, that just makes you feel suspense dripping down your spine. Jonny Greenwood, as the composer, resulted in such a chilling and original sound for the Western.
Jane Campion's directing and cinematographer Ari Wegner are at their best here, both creating such stellar visuals making the entire film a treat to watch. And they have pulled the period and location off so well that it feels very lived in and real.
Ultimately, I believe "The Power of the Dog" wants to ask a question, and presents us with a few answers. "What does it mean to be a man?" and also serves as a deep character study into one of the most interesting fictional characters in modern cinema. All that combined with beautiful cinematography, gripping acting, a chilling score, and great directorial vision make The Power of the Dog one of the strongest films in recent years.
watch power of the dog now!!