Benedict Cumberbatch Reacts To Sam Elliot's 'Very Odd' The Power Of The Dog Criticism

Benedict Cumberbatch has defended his most recent film, The Power Of The Dog, after Sam Elliott called the it a 'piece of sh*t'.

The Dr Strange star admitted that he was taken aback by Elliot's comments on his new Netflix film.

Despite the film having a score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, Elliott slated it on Marc Maron's podcast WTF with Marc Maron.

Elliott, who is known for playing characters who live in the American West, began speaking about the film by saying 'Yeah, you want to talk about that piece of sh*t?', as per the Independent.

He then added that all the 'f*cking cowboys' in the film look like Chippendales and that they were 'running around in chaps and no shirts. There’s all these allusions of homosexuality throughout the movie'.

Throughout the film Cumberbatch's character, Phil Burbank, is hinted at being a gay man who is yet to come out, which Elliott felt was 'what the movie's about'.

While Elliott praised the film's director Jane Campion's previous work, he didn't think she could offer much insight on the American West.

He noted 'What the f*ck does this woman from down there [New Zealand] know about the American West? Why the f*ck did she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana? And say this is the way it was?'.

Following the comments Netflix responded by posting to Twitter with a still from the film and captioning it 'He's just a man. Only another man'.

Fans were quick to attach the post to Elliott, with one user saying 'I wanna tag Sam so bad. Is he on Twitter?'.

Now, Cumberbatch has also responded when speaking on Friday, March 4, as part of BAFTA' Film Sessions, as per the Huffington Post.

Cumberbatch said of Elliott's comments: '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'.

The actor then proceeded to explain how while he didn't know what Elliott said in full detail, he understood that he took offence to 'the West being portrayed in [a certain] way'.

Cumberbatch defended the portrayal of the cowboys in the film saying 'These people still exist in our world'.

Speaking more specifically about his own character he said 'There is aggression and anger and frustration and an inability to control or know who you are in that moment that causes damage to that person and, as we know, damage to those around them'.

Cumberbatch then said that he thought there was no 'harm' in exploring that experience of 'repression' and 'toxic masculinity' and that is may even give people 'bigger chances' to deal with it 'when it arises in our children'.

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