“The Power of the Dog” Jane Campion and a new Western movie unique to the 2020s

*This article touches on the core of the story, so we recommend reading it after watching the movie.

"The Power of the Dog" Synopsis

An intimidating but charismatic ranch owner displays ruthless hostility towards his brother's new wife and her young son, but soon a long-hidden secret comes to light.

Index

• Jane Campion's first ambitious film in 12 years
• Similarities with “Brokeback Mountain” – Different definitions of “masculinity”
• Campion focuses on “sexual dynamics” and the theme of liberation
• Interesting as a crime mystery
• Great performances from Benedict Cumberbatch and his co-stars
• Jonny Greenwood's best soundtracks

Jane Campion's first ambitious film in 12 years

Director Jane Campion, who shocked the film world in the 90s with the innovative expressiveness of " The Piano " (1993), has returned to the world of film for the first time in 12 years. Campion is from New Zealand, but in "The Power of the Dog" (2021) she takes on an American Western. Having often cast female protagonists in the past, this is her first ambitious work to delve into the inner world of a macho man. In the international film award race from the second half of 2021 to the first half of 2022, this work is also attracting attention as a front-runner in categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Acting.

The original work is a masterpiece novel published in 1967 by American author Thomas Savage (there are two Japanese translations: one published by Kadokawa Bunko and translated by Hatano Risako, and one published by Hayakawa Publishing and translated by Yamanaka Asaaki). The story is set on a ranch in Montana in the United States in 1925, and is mysterious from beginning to end, with no clear ending. The film version, adapted by Campion, is filled with the same uneasy tension as the original. Although it is a western, there are no gunfights, and it is a psychological mystery between the four main characters.

"The Power of the Dog" Trailer

The main character is Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch), who runs a wealthy ranch. He is a smart man with absolute charisma and a somewhat teasing way of speaking. The film depicts the conflict between Phil and the three people he oppresses. The first to appear is his relationship with his younger brother George (Jesse Plemons). He is not as sharp as his older brother, but has a gentle personality, and his older brother still thinks of him as a half-baked person. However, unlike his wild brother who rides horses in jeans and bathes outside, George wears a suit, drives a car, and uses the bathtub at home. He is a person who can accept the changes of the times. Then, after marrying the widow Rose (Kirsten Dunst), he tries to escape from under his brother's control.

The next person Phil oppresses is his younger brother's wife, Rose, who runs a diner after the death of her husband, a doctor, and Phil dislikes her. Tired of fighting with him, she turns to alcohol for relief (the novel details her life with her ex-husband, but the movie version cuts it off). The last person Phil faces is Rose's son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a medical student who, like his father, wants to become a doctor. At first, Phil calls her "Miss Nancy" and ridicules her, but the two soon develop a mysterious relationship.

Netflix movie “The Power of the Dog” now available exclusively

Director Campion learned about Savage's original book through a relative who worked in publishing, and was fascinated by it. In an article published in "The Guardian," the director said, "I was actually thinking about retiring before I made this movie. But I loved the book, and I kept thinking about it. I started looking into who owned the film rights, and I realized I was taking the plunge. I knew I had to make it" (November 7, 2021 issue).

As mentioned above, this is the first film for the director, who has previously featured female protagonists, to feature a male in the lead role. In an interview with The Guardian, he said, "I was scared to work on this film at first. From the moment I thought about making it into a film, I knew it would be different from my previous works."

The finished work has a fascinating poison that makes you want to watch it over and over again. The title is taken from a verse in the Psalms of the Old Testament, "Deliver my soul from the sword, and my life from the power of the dog," and the ending makes you think about the meaning of "the power of the dog."

Similarities with “Brokeback Mountain” – Different definitions of “masculinity”