Montana, 1925 and ranch owners and brothers Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemons) are driving cattle through a town called Beech where they will stay overnight. Whilst George takes a shine for Rose (Kirsten Dunst), the widow who runs the local restaurant, Phil terrorises her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who has made paper flowers for the table decoration. 

When George marries Rose it brings her and her son into the ranch where Phil’s overbearing personality has an impact on their wellbeing. Although when Phil has a change of heart and decides to befriend Peter this seems to impact Rose even more than when he belittled him. 

The most fascinating aspect of The Power Of The Dog is the complicated characters that our four main protagonists have. Phil, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in possibly his best film performance yet is a fascinating character. Initially unlikeable, he is vindictive and purposefully cruel. But as we learn more of him through his stories of his mentor Bronco Henry we start to understand why he is who he is and develop a level of sympathy for him. Peter is equally interesting and initially it seems like his sensitivity will result in him being crushed. But when Phil takes him under his wing we start to see he is far more capable and in control than first thought. Rose and George on the other hand both seem to be struggling with what they want with their lives. George is no longer interested in the work on the ranch and wants to climb social circles, something his marriage can help with. Whilst Rose believing she has found a new family after the death of her husband finds herself being the one trampled under Phil’s vindictiveness. 

This character interplay is set to the vast and beautiful scope of Montana, although New Zealand stands in for Montana here and a stunning score from Jonny Greenwood filled with tense and frantic strings and piano. 

Writer/director Jane Campion has not given us a feature film for twelve years and this is a stunning example of her talent. The characters are complex and none of them are black or white in terms of them being good or bad and the final outcome of this story is worth waiting for. Add to that the beautiful imagery and score and this is a modern western classic.