The Power of the Dog Review

Reviewed by McNeill Mullikin

The Power of the Dog is a film that piqued my interest for a few months before I was able to see it. The cast, composer, and  genre were enough to sell me, but while I am not completely disappointed by The Power of the Dog, I was left wanting more.

Before I elaborate on my issues with the film, I want to start with the positives because there are many. 

Easily the best aspect of The Power of the Dog is the cinematography. The western genre inherently grants filmmakers the opportunity to have amazing cinematography, and the cinematographer for this film, Ari Wegner, certainly takes advantage of that. The Power of the Dog features many beautiful shots of the jaw-dropping western landscapes, and it might be one of the best looking westerns I have ever seen. 

Furthermore, Jonny Greenwood absolutely knocks it out of the park with his score, once again. The music wonderfully complements the tone of the story. From the recurring theme to the singular dissonant sounds, Greenwood’s score is brilliantly crafted as always. While Spencer and The Power of the Dog both feature fantastic music from Jonny Greenwood this year, I believe The Power of the Dog has the slightly better score of the two movies. 

From an acting standpoint, each performer does a solid job, but Benedict Cumberbatch is the standout. Cumberbatch portrays a very complex character facing internal struggles that he deflects on to those around him, and he does a great job with capturing the intensity of this character. 

Everybody else in the film does a decent job, but nothing that I believe is worth mentioning. I think I could have appreciated certain performances more, though, if I were able to buy into the central conflict of the film. 

While the story of The Power of the Dog is fascinating on paper, there is much left to be desired from the narrative as well as the character dynamics because of the movie’s serious lack of tension, despite the filmmakers’ attempts to make audiences believe it is there. There are certainly a fair share of subtleties within the story, and I can connect the dots, but the film does not present much beyond the surface.

I would have liked the dynamics between each of the characters to have been explored further. I especially needed more from the conflict between Phil and Rose, as it is the central conflict of the plot. I understand what took place, but the tension in their dynamic and the complexities of their respective characters are not explored sufficiently to develop the central conflict of the story and for audiences to fully appreciate their motivations. 

The other issue I have with The Power of the Dog is the lack of character development, which results in a slower than necessary pace. 

I am fully supportive of a slow pace, but only when it pays off. I love movies that take viewers on an introspective or thought-provoking journey but because The Power of the Dog does not contain adequate character development, the film feels slower than intended. 

Plus, the script does not truly begin to build towards something until halfway. If the story were executed in a way in which the tension is believable, then I would have appreciated the slow pace, but it did not come together for me. 

I was not completely disappointed by The Power of the Dog because it does contain fascinating themes, but I needed more from the story and the characters to find it as intriguing as I had hoped it would be. There is enough in the narrative for it to be a somewhat interesting experience, but the technical aspects of the film kept me more invested than the story itself when the technical aspects should have enhanced the story. 

The Power of the Dog has some extremely impressive, award-worthy qualities, but its semi-engaging story misses the potential to be a top-tier psychological-drama due to its underdeveloped characters.