“The Phoenecian Scheme” is the latest feature-length film from renowned American director Wes Anderson, best known for “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Set in a fictionalized 1950s Middle East, the 102-minute film tells the story of Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), an enigmatic and wealthy industrialist in the final stages of a career-defining project. With his daughter Liesl and personal tutor Bjorn in tow, Zsa-zsa sweeps across Modern Greater Independent Phoenicia, meeting assorted partners in an attempt to gain funding for his project.
“The Phoenecian Scheme” comes at a unique time in Anderson’s career. He has historically earned recognition for his unique visual style, quirkiness and cinematography. With each directorial project since his debut, this style has become not only more recognized but also progressively less subtle. 2023’s “Asteroid City” felt like a peak in this approach and, for that reason, became somewhat controversial — was Anderson becoming self-indulgent? Many claimed that this installment lacked the soul of the previous films.
Because of this, fans didn’t know what to expect from “The Phoenician Scheme.” Would Anderson backtrack in an attempt to recapture the magic of his earlier films, or dive even deeper into his increasingly distinct yet divisive style?
Surprisingly, “The Phoenician Scheme” does not feel as if it goes headfirst in either of these directions. The film manages to find a solid middle ground. It does not push Anderson’s formula forward in extreme ways, instead choosing to improve on his usual patterns. In these continued tropes lie the film’s greatest strengths, like the visual aesthetic and snappy dialogue. Unfortunately, they also contain its most disappointing weaknesses, such as the lack of emotional depth.
Beginning with the positives, the visuals and set design of “The Phoenician Scheme” are astounding. Zsa-zsa’s journey leads the crew all over the Phoenician region through giant Italian palazzos, gaudy Egyptian hotels, a luxury aircraft and even into the afterlife. Each practical set includes many minor details that go unnoticed on an initial viewing. Even the costume design is on point, with each outfit amplifying its respective character. It all culminates in what is possibly Wes Anderson’s best-looking film to date, a mixing and matching of art deco aesthetics and colors.
Anderson brings new life to his traditional style of cinematography by switching from a symmetrical focus to an asymmetrical one. While this may not sound groundbreaking, it manages to bring a level of depth to many scenes that would have lacked it.
Another commendable accomplishment of “The Phoenician Scheme” is its dialogue and characters. It is Anderson’s most humorous film in years and is sure to get a good laugh from theater audiences. Each character oozes personality, and every line is delivered in a quick and witty manner that keeps the adventure engaging throughout. Characters like Reagan and Leland would have done well with more screen time, had the film’s runtime allowed for it. Bjorn Lund, played by Michael Cera, is a definite standout. Cera fits so naturally as an Anderson character that it is astonishing it took him this long to get involved.
One area where “The Phoenician Scheme” falls short is in its emotional depth. While each character was certainly full of personality, the film largely fails in its attempts to reach for a deeper moral and emotional meaning. These attempts come through Zsa-zsa’s repeated near-death encounters in which he finds himself in a sort of purgatory, forced to reckon with his past failures. The problem is that his character arc relies on the assumption that the viewer understands how sick of a man he is. The film repeatedly hints at his past, but without showing his previous actions, it is difficult to feel emotionally connected when he suddenly begins to have a shift in character. The ideas manage to get themselves across but will likely not promote any deeper pondering within the audience.
Despite its flaws, “The Phoenician Scheme” is certainly worth seeing in theaters. While it may not have the heart-wrenching moments present in some of Wes Anderson’s earlier work, it is one of his most aesthetically cohesive films yet, and it is sure to earn plenty of laughs from the audience.