The Phoenician Scheme (2025) - Film Review

      The Phoenician Scheme, 2025.

      Written and Directed by Wes Anderson.

      Featuring 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, Hope Davis, Bill Murray, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, and F. Murray Abraham.

      SYNOPSIS:

      This is a tale of a family and their family business.

      International business mogul Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) finds himself unable to leave his estate or board a plane without facing attempts on his life. As the latest work from the eccentric writer/director Wes Anderson, co-created with Roman Coppola, The Phoenician Scheme adopts a whimsically comedic tone towards these life-threatening encounters, each one pushing him into a black-and-white afterlife scenario where his existence is evaluated by God, given his questionable moral choices. Zsa-zsa’s ambition is matched only by his greed, and he’s further implicated in the alleged murders of his ex-wives, which has caused a rift between him and his daughter, Novitiate Liesl (Mia Threapleton).

      After a recent assassination attempt, Zsa-zsa resolves to pass his family business onto Liesl, one of his ten children (nine of whom are young boys of various ages), despite not having seen her in a long time. He aims to persuade her to abandon her nun aspirations, assuring her that she can maintain her faith. Listening quietly from a corner is a newly assigned tutor, Bjorn (Michael Cera adopting a European accent), a science enthusiast with a fascination for insects, who soon becomes involved in this chaotic family dynamic, thus merging themes of religion, science, and business ethics.

      The film is filled with plenty of absurd humor and quirky dialogue (Zsa-zsa even adopts children in hopes of finding one who might become the next Albert Einstein, and partly due to the misbehavior of his biological children, including one who practices with a crossbow indoors while he discusses sensitive business matters with Liesl). However, the fractured bond between father and daughter lies at the heart of a narrative that also explores Zsa-zsa’s intent to see his meticulously planned vision for the fictional state of Phoenicia (which involves various infrastructure developments) come to life, even in the face of his potential demise, offering a poignant emotional depth. The film also cleverly reflects contemporary issues wrapped in humor, featuring a redemption arc built upon regret and the confrontation of mortality.

      At times, The Phoenician Scheme unfolds like a series of sketches, following the father, daughter, and tutor as they navigate markets to uphold financial agreements related to these developments. In addition to the assassination attempts, the American government is plotting to sabotage their endeavors. When the main characters aren’t engaging with each other on the previously mentioned themes, it provides Anderson with a chance to showcase the offbeat humor for which he is known, featuring familiar and charismatic faces that elevate his material, with Mia Threapleton standing out as a promising new addition.

      Without revealing too much, the film includes notable cameos from Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston in a basketball challenge, Benedict Cumberbatch as a sinister uncle with an impressive beard, and Bill Murray in a perfectly suited small yet memorable role, among others. Meanwhile, Bjorn ponders whether Liesl could ever have feelings for someone like him, as they engage in intellectual challenges and a mutual opening up.

      Wes Anderson expertly utilizes the German studio where the film was shot, presenting visually stunning backgrounds ranging from flying planes to deserts and jungles, all framed impeccably by cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. It is also filled with action, enhanced by the energetic and whimsical score from longtime collaborator Alexandre Desplat; characters amusingly exchange grenades as greeting gifts (a humorous sight gag that also prompts thought) and a chandelier is shot at yet remains intact.

      Narratively, there isn’t much that distinguishes this from a typical Wes Anderson film. Audiences know what to expect by now. His previous two projects felt like stylistic exercises with little substance. The Phoenician Scheme delivers irreverent humor, coupled with the emotional resonance that was lacking in those more recent efforts.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Reviews Editor at Flickering Myth. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd.