26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix fans go wild for ‘best Western they've ever seen' featuring major A-list star
Netflix fans have been thrilled by a 'powerful' Western movie on the streaming platform, as they all shared their reaction to the incredible acting and plot.
Netflix viewers have been raving about a powerful Western film they have just discovered.
The Power of the Dog is a 2021 American Western psychological drama film directed by Jane Campion, based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. It tells the story of two brothers, Phil and George Burbank, who run a cattle ranch in Montana, and the psychological manipulation Phil inflicts on his brother's new wife, Rose, and her son, Peter.
Fans were heartbroken when the movie was removed from Netflix UK in August 2023 due to BBC Films owning the rights. Thankfully, Netflix confirmed its return to the platform in August 2024. The huge film might not be your typical Western, but viewers have been loving it.
One person wrote: "Well I'll be damned. Just saw the dog in the mountains. Mystery solved. Great film." Another said: "The Power Of The Dog builds tremendous force, gaining its momentum through the harmonious discord of its performances, the nervous rhythms of Jonny Greenwood's score and the grandeur of its visuals."
Meanwhile, on IMDB, someone else wrote: "I just randomly watched this movie, not knowing anything about it at all, just that I like Benedict as an actor. It was slow and sort of unsettling and I had to ponder the movie for a while after it finished. Let me just say this, the devil is in the details with this one. Pay very close attention when watching it, I think it pays off pretty well.
They added: "I had several 'oh crap' moments after the movie, when I started connecting the dots. To call this a Western is a bit misleading, the setting is in the west (Montana) but that really has nothing to do with the movie at all, nor should it define its genre
"I can see how folks might not like this one due to the pacing and some of the subject matter but the acting really is quite good and the movie is well made. Also, let's just say the ending might pass right over some people's head if they hadn't been paying attention or had already made up their mind what the movie was about. I'd really love to say more but spoilers and all. I think this one will start out slow with audiences but will age well over time," the film fan concluded.
Benedict Cumberbatch previously spoke about his role in the movie, particularly how he portrayed his character. In an interview with NPR, he explained how different the American West was from his own life, making the role a challenge. To get into character, the actor wore unwashed clothes throughout the shoot, saying, "The minute I put those clothes on, I was [Phil]. I could smell him."
