Benedict Cumberbatch responds to Sam Elliott's The Power of the Dog criticism

Benedict Cumberbatch defended The Power of the Dog after Sam Elliott's comments early last week. Photo / Getty Images

Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't impressed with Sam Elliott's negative reaction to The Power of the Dog and comments around Kiwi director Jane Campion.

Last week Elliott appeared on the 'WFF with Marc Maron' podcast where he expressed his distaste for how the American West was portrayed in the film - being filmed in New Zealand - and compared the "cowboys" in the film to Chippendales dancers before saying, "They're all running around in chaps and no shifts. There's all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the f***ing movie."

Elliott went on to say that New Zealander Campion was out of her depth in tackling the western genre.

"She's a brilliant director by the way, I love her work, previous work — but what the f*** does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American west? And why in the f*** does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana and say, 'This is the way it was.' That f***ing rubbed me the wrong way, pal," Elliott said

And now Cumberbatch is hitting back.

During a BAFTA Film Sessions event late last week, Cumberbatch addressed Elliott's comments about the 12 Oscar-nominated film in which Cumberbatch stars.

Sam Elliott wasn't impressed with The Power of the Dog. Photo / Getty Images

"I'm trying very hard not to say anything about a very odd reaction that happened the other day on a radio podcast over here," he said.

"I haven't heard it so it's unfair for me to comment in detail on it — to the West being portrayed in this way."

"Beyond that reaction," Cumberbatch said, "that sort of denial that anybody could have any other than a heteronormative existence because of what they do for a living or where they're born, there's also a massive intolerance within the world at large towards homosexuality still and toward an acceptance of the other and anything kind of difference... it's not a history lesson."

Cumberbatch stars in the film as a grizzly cattle rancher who comes to terms with his sexuality after falling in love with a man in an era of toxic masculinity.

The film was directed by Kiwi filmmaker Dame Jane Campion and has gone on to earn multiple Acadamy Award nominations this year.

Power of the Dog was filmed in Otago and Dunedin, and began shooting in January 2020 before the pandemic halted production.

The movie's Hollywood stars remained in the country during our first lockdown and the production was given a border exemption for its cast and crew and filming resumed in June 2020.

It's streaming giant Netflix's most likely 2022 Oscar contender. Movie-industry bible Variety ranks The Power of the Dog as No 2 in the likely best picture and best director contenders, behind Kenneth Branagh's autobiographical drama Belfast.