The Power of the Dog 2021
This movie was painful to watch. Because it was on Netflix, I kept pausing it because it would just get so frustratingly boring. Plus they spent so much time beating into you what a jerk Benedict Cumberbatch’s character is. So you are just watching this guy be bitter and nasty to people. He is doing an American accent, which he really struggles with, but is otherwise loathsome for the first half of the movie. We don’t know why and we don’t know why he sort of turns around. Meanwhile there is music throughout that makes you think something major is about to happen. Are they going to kill that horse? No, it is just a scene of a horse with horror movie music. A lot of the movie is people looking at things or people. It took me over a month to watch this. After several nights I was only halfway through and really hated it. Then I was able to watch the rest in one sitting, but just because I wanted to be done with it. The cinematography is gorgeous. So many scenes look like they could be postcards. So it doesn’t get an F. The acting is fine, but mostly quiet and free of dialogue. I do not understand how critics can love a movie that is so miserable to sit through. I am so glad it is over.
Written: 01 Mar 2022