The Phoenician Scheme Review: Wes Anderson Goes Back To The Basics (Sort Of)

by

In Wes Anderson’s filmography, each movie tends to be more distinctively his own than the one before it. Whether this is a positive or negative aspect is subjective and depends on individual tastes. I personally believe that Anderson’s talent reached new heights with the stop-motion animation in “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009), and I appreciate how he’s carried that exaggerated cartoon aesthetic into his subsequent live-action films. In my opinion, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) stands out as his most impressive work to date.

At times, I find myself struggling to follow Anderson’s complex ideas because they become overly intricate. I was left feeling unimpressed by “The French Dispatch,” which seemed to blend 3.5 tributes to New Yorker-style articles into a cinematic endeavor. “Asteroid City” did have its moments of brilliance, but overall, it left me puzzled as a movie that’s also a play, a TV documentary, and a bimonthly subscription box of treats (which is a joke based on “BoJack Horseman,” involving Quentin Tarantino, but I suspect Anderson might actually make such a film).

Title “The Phoenician Scheme” reflects the evolution of Anderson’s playful diorama-like style, simplifying complex structural elements for a more straightforward narrative approach reminiscent of his work since 2012’s “Moonrise Kingdom.” Despite a sequence of seemingly intricate plot twists, rest assured that they are mostly humorous and do not cloud the film’s central themes and emotional arcs. This movie is another addition to Anderson’s collection of family dysfunction narratives, with a particular focus on the complex bond between Zsa-zsa Korda (played by Benicio del Toro), a struggling father seeking redemption, and Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton, Kate Winslet’s daughter), a disillusioned child questioning the value of family.

Wes Anderson’s first villain protagonist

In simpler terms, Zsa-zsa Korda is a ruthless character at the heart of a Wes Anderson film. He’s involved in weapons trafficking, causing famines, and supporting slavery while disregarding his own human rights for profit on all sides of conflicts. He’s wanted by many countries, with tax evasion being his primary offense against the U.S. (a joke that seems even more outdated now). If he were real, you’d despise him. However, in a way that mirrors Tony Stark in the first “Iron Man,” he’s an engaging character to watch due to his audacious escapes from dangerous situations and the subtle development of empathy as he encounters mortality.

The Phoenician Project” begins following Zsa-zsa’s sixth airplane accident, a gruesome yet comically violent scene thanks to Anderson’s ultra-realistic special effects. Before regaining consciousness and mending his internal injuries, Zsa-zsa has a chilling premonition of his own funeral in a hauntingly monochrome afterlife (it may be wise to omit details about which of Anderson’s recurring characters appear). This brush with mortality encourages him to reconcile with his daughter Liesl, a nun who deeply disapproves of Zsa-zsa and suspects him of murdering her mother. Despite their strained relationship, Liesl decides to help manage Zsa-zsa’s affairs as potential heir. Liesl then accompanies her father, as well as his entomology instructor Bjørn (Michael Cera, delivering an exceptional Euro-accent performance), in pursuit of financial backing for the titular project – a grand architectural endeavor in the Middle East where Zsa-zsa guarantees all workers will be fairly compensated.

In this rendition, let’s call it Zsa-zsa’s potential benefactors consist of a prince (Riz Ahmed), a pair of basketball players (Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston), a nightclub owner (Mathieu Amalric), a shipping tycoon (Jeffrey Wright), a kibbutznik (Scarlett Johansson), and Zsa-zsa’s wicked brother (Benedict Cumberbatch). These diverse characters, along with others, provide an amusingly eccentric flair reminiscent of the filmmaker’s other creations. However, unlike some of Anderson’s previous works, “The Phoenician Scheme” leans more towards character development than ensemble storytelling.

The movie’s success hinges on the chemistry between Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton and how their characters influence each other to grow. Zsa-zsa absorbs ideas of Christian morality from his daughter, but he remains a complex character, neither wholly good nor evil. On the other hand, Liesl, initially resistant, finds herself admiring her father’s taste in luxury despite her impulse to reject it. This film can be seen as a reflection of the director justifying his lavish lifestyle.

Beautiful style with approachable substance

The Phoenician Scheme” is a flawlessly designed film, as one would expect from the genius of Wes Anderson. It’s like a sophisticated Rube Goldberg device filled with dry humor, moving at an incredible pace that borders on an action movie script for Anderson. Every detail, from the sets to the costumes to the cinematography, is impeccably perfect, with each art homage and humorous text carefully placed. The score, which builds tension, combines Igor Stravinsky’s work with original compositions by Alexandre Desplat.

How much depth does the movie offer beyond its initial enjoyment level? Upon initial viewing, I would rate it as having a decent amount of depth. While it might not be Wes Anderson’s most profound work or his finest, it certainly caught my attention as a character-driven study focusing on relationships, with elements of politics and spirituality that piqued my curiosity. The film’s warm heart adds to the appeal of its surface pleasures, making it one of Anderson’s films I’ve enjoyed the most since “Isle of Dogs” in 2018.

After watching it again, I’m keen to explore further insights about the movie from scholars specializing in Middle Eastern history. The film appears to satirically critique the West’s historical involvement in the region, albeit subtly through playful commentary rather than direct statements. The narrative offers an interesting blend of ideologies, as capitalist tycoons, communist rebels, and a seemingly liberal character all align. The movie is dedicated to the late Fouad Mikhael Maalouf, who was born in Palestine’s West Bank and achieved industrial prominence in Lebanon reminiscent of Alexander Korda. Delving deeper into this personal connection could potentially reveal more layers than initially apparent.

“The Phoenician Scheme” opens in limited release on May 30 and in wide release on June 6.

Read More

2025-05-21 19:30