A modern Western streaming on Netflix has been hailed as a “masterpiece” and has a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Power of the Dog (2021) is a Western psychological drama set in Montana that explores toxic masculinity, jealousy and its tragic consequences.
It tells the story of two wealthy ranchers, Phil and George Burbank (played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Jess Plemons, respectively) and Phil’s bitterness over George’s marriage to Rose (Kirsten Dunst). Phil is cruel to both Rose and her teenage son Peter, intent on making their lives a misery. His behaviour sparks tension between the brothers, and in time we learn about a personal torment Phil has been hiding.
The film was written and directed by Jane Campion, and based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage.
An Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes called the film: “Engaging, powerful, painful. Campion is a master.”
Another wrote said the film may be “hard to watch at times but it is worth it”.
“Great atmosphere, an incredibly compelling story, amazing acting and characters that are genuinely interesting and multidimensional,” they added.
“The Power of the Dog had me emotionally invested and left me shaken. Definitely recommend this movie.”
One fan on Reddit said Cumberbatch “gives an all time great performance so strong it will be remembered when the decade is over as one of the best”.
“The plot of the movie has elements of a lot of genres but im not even going to discuss it. All i will say is IT IS A MASTERPIECE. This is easily the best Netflix movie ever and one of the best American movies ever made.”
The Power of the Dog is rated 12, and contains moderate injury detail, sex references, discrimination, language, and threat, according to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 94% score on the site’s Tomatometer (which reflects the percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given it a positive review).
The Power of The Dog is streaming on Netflix now.