The Phoenician Scheme

First things first, this is a Wes Anderson film so you kind of know what to expect here.  If you aren’t a fan of his style of films, then I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to change your mind as, much like his last few entries, this is full-on Wes Anderson throughout.  If, like me, you are a huge fan of his output, then rest assured that this is packed with everything you love about him, even if it does feel a tad excessive at times.

From a story he conceived with Roman Coppola, Anderson brings his style to a tale of industrial espionage, mixed in with a theme about absent father figures trying to reconcile with their offspring (a common aspect of many of his films), all mixed together with a glorious colour palette, artistic framing, and a warped sense of reality.  In it we follow Benicio Del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, a wealthy industrialist with a chequered past which has led to him being the target of many assassination attempts, who is about to embark on a new enterprise.  Before he sets off to entice partners into assisting with the financing he reconnects with his estranged daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton) who has taken a life as a nun, appointing her as the sole heir to his estate.  As the pair journey the world to meet other potential partners, the absent nature of his distant parenting is challenged, and the pair are both forced to confront their relationship head on, and the decisions they have made through life that kept them distant.  All the while scheming tycoons, terrorists, and potential assassins create complications as they travel with Michael Cera’s Bjorn Lund, an insect specialist teacher and assistant to Zsa-zsa, whilst Zsa-zsa himself keeps having near death visions of the afterlife.

There’s a lot to unpack in here, and I admit to finding a few points in the film where I felt absolutely lost as to what was actually going on.  It is chaotic black comedy with an extremely complex Rube Goldberg machine approach to plotting, that is fascinating to watch, and lands with a satisfying finish even if you can’t keep up with all the turns and twists along the way.  As expected with an Anderson film the cast is stacked with names, some only fleetingly on screen for a mere moment but still leaving an impression, with some regular faces, but a fair few new additions.  Cera is a perfect fit for Anderson’s style, and it is so baffling that he’s not been used before (but I certainly hope he becomes a recurring entry).  Cumberbatch is deliciously included here in the final act as the mysterious Uncle Nubar, ensuring the endgame of the tale is funny, and wonderfully overplayed perfectly.

Visually this is as Wes Anderson as you would expect, with every scene feeling like it would sit beautifully on display in a frame on the wall.  There’s something charmingly wonderful about the framing of the shots, the symmetries, the colour scheme, and the positioning of characters that make every scene a work of art that I adore, and will always bring me back to Anderson’s films.  Some may find it has become a tad indulgent in recent years, but this is an indulgence I savour and delight in.

Whilst not top tier Anderson for me (Isle of Dogs, Grand Budapest Hotel, and Rushmore are safely in that spot), this is still a joyous addition to his filmography that had me smiling throughout, and laughing out loud at various moments, whilst being emotionally caught up in the family drama that lies underneath the chaos unfolding on screen.

Phoenician Scheme is a joy of a film that I look forward to repeat viewings of – even if only to better follow the frenetic story a little better – and is sure to delight fellow fans of the director.