THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Action
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera
Release Date: May 30, 2025
Platform: Theatrical
Rating: 3/5
“Will delight the Anderson faithful but is unlikely to win over any skeptics.”
You have to admire Wes Anderson’s unwavering commitment to his artistic vision. He may very well be the most precise filmmaker working today when it comes to visual language. Trends and technological fads breeze past him like tumbleweeds—he’s entirely unaffected. Anderson exudes confidence as a director, and while that might be off-putting to some, if you’re already on board with his style, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME is another meticulously crafted entry you’ll want to see.
Beneath the pastel symmetry and deadpan delivery, however, lies a surprisingly tender heart. THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME follows the twilight chapter of a man’s life—Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro), a wealthy businessman whose cutthroat tactics have outmaneuvered not just rival companies, but entire governments. Now facing mortality and perhaps an existential itch, he sets his sights on one final play: the titular Phoenician Scheme. But this time, it’s personal. Reconnecting with his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton), he hopes to pass on not only his fortune but the legacy of his grand plan. If he dies before it’s complete, she’s meant to see it through. What follows is a globe-trotting (well, globe-strolling) adventure, peppered with dry wit, assassins, and emotional reconnection.
Visually, this is classic Anderson: hyper-symmetrical frames, retro color palettes, and dialogue as flat as the deserts of Asteroid City. The narrative is a curious blend of simplicity and convolution—somehow both meandering and laser-focused. There’s heart, surprise violence, and humor that lands more often than not. But despite its charm, the story feels emotionally lightweight. It’s engaging, but you’re never quite convinced that the stakes matter all that much.
Benicio Del Toro and Mia Threapleton carry the film well, bringing both warmth and comedic timing. Threapleton, in particular, holds her own amongst Anderson regulars. Newcomer Michael Cera fits seamlessly into Anderson’s universe, you’d think he was born wearing corduroy and framed in a 4:3 aspect ratio—he even manages to steal a few scenes. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Anderson film without a parade of A-listers in cameo mode: Tom Hanks, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, and others pop in to remind you this is, indeed, a Wes Anderson production.
In terms of quality, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME lands somewhere in the middle of Anderson’s filmography. It doesn’t soar to the whimsical heights of The Grand Budapest Hotel, but it’s a storytelling improvement over The French Dispatch. And yet, one can’t help but wonder: are the visuals still in service of emotional storytelling, or are they just impeccably stylish wallpaper? Either way, they certainly look fantastic.
Much like Asteroid City, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME will delight the Anderson faithful but is unlikely to win over any skeptics. It’s artful, dryly funny, and visually sumptuous—but it won’t change anyone’s mind about the man who never met a pastel he didn’t like.
