Often overlooked when it comes to Westerns, the film has completely bowled over critics and viewers – and it’s available to stream on Netflix.

Viewers can’t get over how good this ‘western masterpiece’ is (Image: Netflix)

A Netflix Western is being hailed a ‘masterpiece’ by fans and critics who can’t stop raving over the brilliance of the film.

Likened to Brokeback Mountain in the Westerns genre, the film stars leading actors and is available to stream on Netflix.

Although it made a massive splash back when it was released, The Power of the Dog is often overlooked when it comes to Westerns.

The 2021 Western psychological drama has been written and directed by Jane Campion who took home a Best Director Oscar for the film, alongside a smashing 12 Academy Award nominations — the highest for any film that year.

Campion even bagged the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival, where the film first premiered in 2021.

Based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, The Power of the Dog stars British A-lister Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead alongside Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

It stars a beloved British A-lister in the lead who has been lauded for his performance (Image: Netflix)

The film is set in 1925 in rural Montana, but was filmed largely in New Zealand’s Otago region. The Power of the Dog is a joint international co-production between the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia.

With a limited theatrical release in November 2021, it dropped on global streaming platform Netflix on December 1, 2021, and went on to garner rave reviews, even being called the ‘best film of the year’ that year.

The movie’s official plot states: “The year is 1925. The Burbank brothers are wealthy ranchers in Montana. At the Red Mill restaurant on their way to market, the brothers meet Rose, the widowed proprietress, and her impressionable son Peter. Phil behaves so cruelly he drives them both to tears, reveling in their hurt and rousing his fellow cowhands to laughter — all except his brother George, who comforts Rose then returns to marry her.

“As Phil swings between fury and cunning, his taunting of Rose takes an eerie form — he hovers at the edges of her vision, whistling a tune she can no longer play. His mockery of her son is more overt, amplified by the cheering of Phil’s cowhand disciples. Then Phil appears to take the boy under his wing. Is this latest gesture a softening that leaves Phil exposed, or a plot twisting further into menace?”

The film is available to stream on Netflix (Image: KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX)

An outstanding 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes tells you all you need to know about this rousing Western which lives on in the minds of those who have given it the time of day, yet, it finds itself often overlooked within the genre.

Critics have praised the film from all quarters, with one calling it Cumberbatch’s best performance till date: “Much has already been said about Jane Campion’s western masterpiece, and for good reason. It is indeed truly great. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a career best performance.”

Another reviewer says of the film (and its director and lead actor): “The Power of the Dog is meticulously crafted and wonderfully executed. …Campions film is both resplendent and morose. The Power of the Dog is a towering achievement, and the finest work of both Campion and Cumberbatchs careers.”

Yet another impressed critic writes, “Power of the Dog is an excellent film that you must see,” while another says of the film, “The Power of the Dog is essential viewing for cinema fans, a brilliant example of a non-Western Western.”

While one critic said they want to keep rewatching the film: “When The Power of the Dog ends, there is an immense desire to immediately start it from the beginning to see the puzzle pieces that were laid out for the audience. To appreciate the movie in a new way, from a bird’s-eye view, knowing how it ends.”

Jane Campion (pictured) won an Oscar for Best Director for the film (Image: Getty Images for Netflix)

One glowing IMDB user review of the film states: “Is “The Power of the dog” the best movie I’ve seen in years? Yes, it is! The film is a mesmerizing mix of absolutely brilliant acting, a fantastic script, carefully unfolding all the layers, and beautiful photography. Jane Campion created an Oscar contender which simply can not be overlooked.

“The story and characters crawl under the skin of the viewer and leave you thinking about the story even 24 hours after you finished this masterpiece. Is it slow? Yes it is. Campion and her cast take their time to unfold all the layers, but man….what a not to be missed treat this one is. Do watch and enjoy sheer craftsmanship with a ton of emotions!”

While one audience review on Rotten Tomatoes says: “The Power of the Dog is a slow-burning masterpiece of tension and repression. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a career-best performance as the menacing yet vulnerable rancher Phil Burbank, while Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee shine in this haunting psychological drama. Director Jane Campion crafts a visually stunning, emotionally devastating film that lingers long after the credits roll.

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Another fan of the film writes: “Magnificent. Austere yet passionate and heart engaging. The serenity of the western frontier that only Phil seems to initially see adds depth and mystery to his character. The mystery is well deserved as it turns out, but in the end we are yearning for his survival. Just a beautiful haunting movie. Not enough stars.”

The Power of the Dog is available to stream on Netflix.