What to Watch This Weekend – The Phoenician Scheme

The Phoenician Scheme is the story of a wealthy industrialist attempting to secure their legacy. Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro) has made a living off lucrative deals. Whether it’s selling arms or contributing to global destabilization, he always gets his 5% cut.  As Korda begins putting the pieces in place for a final development project, he finds a massive amount of opposition. First, several world leaders manipulate the cost of goods to hinder Korda’s building efforts. Also, Korda experiences (and survives) multiple assassination schemes from an unknown enemy. This leads Korda to reconnect with his estranged daughter Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton). Korda proposes that Liesl consider becoming his sole heir in exchange for her help. Together, they set out to meet with other investors in the hopes of salvaging the Phoenician Project and discovering the identity of the would-be assailant.

What works in The Phoenician Scheme is its fantastical quirky nature. Co-writer and director Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Asteroid City) has invented a cinematic styling all his own. His characters are purposeful caricatures. They have exaggerated qualities, singular motivations, and intense emotions. The Phoenician Scheme follows this tradition in grand fashion. Anderson has once again assembled an ensemble cast that evokes deep humor through their dedicated ridiculousness, led by del Toro. Also (as per usual for Anderson), The Phoenician Scheme is a visual delight. The costumes, set design, and overall aesthetic have stunning detail. His is thanks in part to cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Big Eyes) conceiving a fairy tale world that is both familiar and foreign. Finally, composer Alexandre Desplat (The Shape of Water, Argo) weaves everything together with a rousing and playfully adventurous score.

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People who find Anderson’s work “weird” or eccentric, are unlikely to be won over by The Phoenician Scheme. Anderson is a modern-day fable maker. He bases his material in an alternate reality where people’s mannerisms, colloquialisms, and actions feel like deviations. Some will call this creative, others nonsensical. As such, the characters aren’t relatable—they are allegorical representations of intangibles like passion, loneliness, and purpose. There’s no guidebook and certainly no rulebook. As such, some audience members may feel lost trying to keep up with the whirlwind of personalities.

The Phoenician Scheme is an absolute delight. Boasting a snappy, sharp script executed upon by a cast of top performers, The Phoenician Scheme satisfies a very specific niche of cinema. While it may not convert any newcomers to Anderson’s genre, fans will embrace it like warm milk. Highly recommended.

Recommended if you enjoyed: Asteroid City, The French Dispatch

The Phoenician Scheme is available exclusively in theaters beginning on May 30^th, 2025

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