The Phoenician Scheme (2025)

​“The Phoenician Scheme” stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, and Hope Davis.  Released on May 30, 2025, the film follows a strained father-daughter relationship in the family business.

The film was written and directed by Wes Anderson, who also directed films such as “The Darjeeling Limited”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, and “Asteroid City”.  Family businesses can be just as challenging to maintain as any other type of business.  It’s essentially a matter of effective communication and succession planning to ensure a thriving team and longevity.  More importantly, it’s about balancing personal relationships with professional responsibilities, which often require a delicate touch and a deep understanding of family dynamics and business acumen.  This particular businessman may not have taken these elements to heart, especially when he’s wanted by several people eager to put him out of the job.  Following his adaptation of Roald Dahl’s bizarrely unconventional short stories, eccentric filmmaker Wes Anderson returns to take his unusually distinctive cinematic style to the realm of espionage, all while exploring the dynamics of a dysfunctional family business.  In case you asked, yes, it does come equipped with the whimsically deadpan wackiness we expect from Anderson’s other works.  But does it retain the entertainment value for a concept like this, or make us want to take our cinematic business elsewhere?  Let’s find out.

The story centers on Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda (del Toro), a business tycoon and arms dealer in 1950s Europe.  His charismatic yet ruthless approach in interceding in any large deal makes him a target of several assassins, governments, terrorists, and the international business community.  After nearly surviving the latest assassination attempt, Korda decides to appoint his only daughter, a nun, Sister Liesl (Threapleton), as sole heir to his estate.  Additionally, Korda embarks on a new enterprise that has him overhauling the infrastructure of Phoenicia with slave labor.  However, his latest plan is put into a tailspin when a shady government monitoring Korda’s business, led by Excaliber (Friend), works to disrupt the approach.  Additionally, Korda, along with Liesl and Norwegian entomologist Bjørn (Cera), winds up in a series of mishaps that force him to confront the people targeting Korda.     

If you've read my reviews of previous Wes Anderson films, you’ll understand the intrigue I had with “The Phoenician Scheme”.  Since watching “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, I have developed a deep appreciation for Anderson’s uniquely imaginative vision, which sets him apart from the conventional cinematic craft.  In fact, I recently took the time to visit his earlier films, “Bottle Rocket” and “Rushmore,” for the first time.  Both of those movies carry a more traditional essence compared to his more recent projects, but they each offer their own merits, delivering enjoyment through their plots.  However, the concept in “Rushmore” can be pretty discomforting regarding the protagonist’s infatuation with an older teacher.  I just wanted to let everyone know that before they decide to delve into that film.  Despite Anderson’s previous projects not living up to his other classics, except for “Henry Sugar”, I found them enjoyable enough to see if Anderson can maintain his cinematic momentum.  So far, this film’s reactions from critics and audiences hadn’t quite gotten Anderson out of his “divisiveness” phase, but they’re decent enough to leave another mark in his unusually bizarre filmography.  But the real question I should be asking is whether this latest endeavor can resonate with me.  The answer to that question is yes, but it’s still pretty far from some of Anderson’s finest masterpieces.

“The Phoenician Scheme” is another distinctively quirky and amusing cinematic piece that showcases the brilliance of Wes Anderson and his adoring ensemble of A-list misfits.  However, similar to some of his recent works, it’s also another film that’ll highly depend on people’s taste in his unconventional presentation.  For those unaware, Wes Anderson possesses a uniquely uncanny vision that transforms seemingly simple concepts into a whimsically bizarre wonderland, rich with a vibrant color palette, deadpan humor, and a restrained yet unorthodox imagination.  In short, his mind is quite a kooky one to study.  Was it strange and possibly alienating?  Absolutely.  However, it possesses a specific charm and allure that captivates with its impassive strangeness, a quality we don’t usually see in conventional Hollywood movies.  Wes Anderson is the type of director who thinks outside the box in his presentation, storytelling, and direction, and I have nothing but pure respect for the filmmaker who pursues this path.  “The Phoenician Scheme” is undoubtedly another testament to this approach, as Anderson infuses his eccentric and weirdly poetic vision into the world of espionage and business industries.  

All the elements that existed in Anderson’s previous films were present in “The Phoenician Scheme”, including the practical effects that evoke a nostalgic, low-budget charm and the innovative production designs that pop with artistic flair.  Of course, you also have the cinematography, which consists of dynamic frameworks that capture its quirky bizarreness and panning shots that closely follow the characters’ interactions and actions throughout.  Notably, this film marks the first time Wes Anderson has not collaborated with his frequent cinematographer, Robert Yeoman.  Instead, it was filmed by French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, recognized for his work with other renowned directors like Tim Burton and the Coen Brothers.  Utilizing 35 mm film and a 1.5:1 aspect ratio, Delbonnel effectively conveyed Anderson’s distinctive style through his use of color palettes and grainy aesthetics while retaining the signature charm from the director’s other works.  Finally, there’s the music, which elegantly complements the director’s delightfully offbeat vision with a whimsical flair.  It also showcases Alexandre Desplat as another talented musician capable of his collaborations with Anderson and other esteemed directors.

However, even with these uncanny elements intact, there’s still the matter of its storytelling and whether it succeeds in carrying Wes Anderson’s craft.  Amid this quirky business journey, “The Phoenician Scheme” explores a traditional father/daughter relationship between Zsa-Zsa Korda and Liesl, which is fractured by Zsa-Zsa’s greed and self-serving business practices.  Throughout the film, Zsa-Zsa internally grapples with his own transgressions while facing judgment from a divine court, enhancing the film’s bizarre yet somehow symbolic exploration of its religious themes.  Like his direction, Anderson’s screenplay possessed a specific touch that challenged the viewers with its symbolism while also infusing humor through its deadpan wit.  It’s suitably written enough to overcome most of its formulaic aspects, delivering mild entertainment through the characters’ awkward interactions.  Unfortunately, it’s not without some issues that dragged its striving business down.

Besides some of its formulaic plot elements, the script had a structure that was initially amusing but gradually became a bit repetitive as it progressed.  The narrative primarily follows Zsa-Zsa and Liesl as they travel the globe to swindle Zsa-Zsa's investors to cover the percentage of their budget shortfall.  Despite having a few character moments that kept the structure interesting, the film relied on the same formula across three different scenarios, which struggled to consistently deliver its distinct humor.  The movie also had an issue with its pacing, particularly in its second act.  Despite the offbeat and eccentric tone, the film maintained a steady pace to avoid becoming too chaotic.  The first and third acts were able to retain my interest through the character interactions and presentation, but the middle part was where it lost that momentum before it picked back up again.  It’s certainly a well-defined screenplay that only Wes Anderson can come up with, but it doesn’t quite match the thematic heights of some of his earlier outings.  Additionally, its structure will heavily depend on your taste in his narrative craft.

The movie also didn’t shy away from Anderson’s crew of A-listers and promising young actors, especially the former consisting of the director’s frequent collaborators from earlier works.  As usual, the performances were often restrained, but they contributed significantly to the whimsically deadpan and meticulously crafted world that Anderson created.  Benicio del Toro was tasked with conveying Zsa-Zsa’s complex and scheming persona with charisma and depth, and he did so with ease.  This was his second collaboration with Anderson following “The French Dispatch”, and based on his performance in these films, it’s clear that the director has found himself a new member of his ragtag crew.  Mia Threapleton also made a solid impression in her first leading role as Liesl, with her performance highlighting the calm and heavenly aura of a nun who’s conflicted over her father’s greedy pursuit.  Michael Cera also deserves recognition for his unique portrayal of Bjørn.  His performance required him to bring authenticity to his accents while maintaining the awkward charm he’s known for.  It wasn’t an easy task, but Cera managed to accomplish it, showcasing more of his versatility outside his usual portrayals of awkward characters in earlier films.  I also thought Jeffrey Wright nearly stole the show with his energetically quirky portrayal of Marty, one of Korda’s investors, despite being only in a couple of scenes.

Overall, “The Phoenician Scheme” conjures up enough of Wes Anderson’s bizarrely kooky magic to scheme its way out of its narrative shortcomings.  This is another movie that’s understandably made with the director’s followers in mind, with its screenplay, pacing, and quirky tone being the major factors that could win over or turn off general moviegoers.  As someone who has been following Anderson’s works since “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, I still admire his filmmaking craft for pushing the boundaries of cinematic storytelling, even if it doesn’t work all the time.  While not matching Anderson's previous movies regarding its hit-and-miss story, this film further solidifies my respect for the eccentric filmmaker through his unorthodox and delightfully offbeat examination of religion and business espionage.  With its solid cast, Anderson’s unique direction, remarkable cinematography, and effective musical score, the film swindled me well enough to accept this unusually peculiar business deal.  If you enjoyed some of Anderson’s previous films, this latest scheme is definitely worth investing in.

B-