Directed by Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme follows Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro), a ruthless, death-defying tycoon in arms and aviation trying to secure his legacy. He appoints his estranged daughter, a nun named Liesel (Mia Threapleton), as his heir while facing assassins and rival tycoons, all while he works to complete his final “Korda Land and Sea Phoenician Infrastructure Scheme” amidst constant danger.
Wes Anderson has been well known over the years for his highly stylized, auteur approach to filmmaking and has delivered some of the most phenomenally crafted original films over the years. I may not look like it but I actually am a fan of most of his work, though I haven’t been able to see most of his recent films until now with his 2025 release, The Phoenician Scheme. After getting the chance to watch this film at home, having missed it in theaters last year, I can honestly say I have found a new favorite film from the brilliant mind of Wes Anderson.
The Phoenician Scheme is a darkly hilarious yet deep and thought-provoking espionage thriller that I absolutely loved from start to end. It delivers extremely hilarious laughs while also providing an investing and relevant theme-filled story set within a handcrafted, highly stylized and beautiful world that only Wes Anderson could come up with. As with most Wes Anderson films, it may not be for everyone but I certainly loved everything about it, and to me it proves that Wes Anderson still knows how to make wonderful and creative films in a time you don’t get many. I’ve seen plenty of espionage thrillers over the years with comedic elements but they are certainly nothing like this.
As with most Wes Anderson projects, he has assembled a massive cast in this film, consisting of actors and actresses he has frequently worked with in the past and a few new faces that all commit to the whimsical, nostalgic, and theatrical nature of Wes Anderson’s style. All of them deliver fantastic performances that are full of quirky humor delivered in a “deadpan” fashion that never fail to entertain and keep me invested in the story, despite featuring characters who aren’t necessarily morally good people, including the lead played by the always reliable Benicio del Toro.
Benicio del Toro plays the interesting and tricky role of Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda, who isn’t a heroic figure by any means yet manages to be so investing, thanks largely in part to the charismatic charm that Benicio gives the character in his performance. It’s honestly strange to be invested in a ruthless character who has done terrible and immoral things, yet you wish to see him succeed in finding redemption and achieve his goals because of just how perfectly written and performed the character is. Wes Anderson has a gift of making normally unlikable characters into extremely compelling ones in most of his films and Korda is certainly no exception.
Surrounding Korda is a plethora of fun characters played by incredible talent, with the most significant stand out being Mia Threapleton as Sister Liesl, Korda’s daughter and a nun. This is Mia Threapleton’s first lead role in a feature film and she was truly phenomenal as a character dealing with her estranged relationship with her father as well as a crisis of faith and morality when she gets pulled into her father’s ambitious scheme. Her ability to provide such perfect deadpan delivery in her performance not only makes her fit extremely well into Wes Anderson’s signature style but also beautifully displays all the emotions this character is struggling to deal with. I am honestly shocked she has not been in any leading roles before this film because she truly has so much incredible talent that needs to be utilized more, especially when she’s able to work so well amongst so many acting veterans.
Adding on to duo of Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton is the always brilliant and hilarious Michael Cera as Bjørn Lund, a Norwegian entomologist, tutor, and Korda’s administrative assistant. If there was anyone who fits perfectly into the quirky and humorous worlds created by Wes Anderson it’s Michael Cera and his comedic energy that never fails to get lots of laughs out of me when he plays fun characters like Bjørn.
There’s a truly excellent supporting cast included in this film full of familiar favorites such as Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffery Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend and others who all commit to their wild characters respectively. One major standout amongst them was definitely Benedict Cumberbatch as Uncle Nubar Korda, Korda’s estranged half-brother, who I wish had much more screen time in this film because he was absolutely awesome and unhinged in his role.
Most of Wes Anderson’s films feature stories full of hilarious dark humor but also many complex themes, and this film is no exception. While the central narrative focuses on a broken father seeking to mend his relationship with his daughter this film also manages to explore themes of faith, morality, legacy, mortality, greed and sincerity, all in unique ways that only Wes Anderson can create. The film explores what it means to be good, with its leading characters questioning whether faith is necessary for a moral life, and having them reflect on their life choices due to near-death experiences, making them focus on what they will leave behind. This film also doesn’t hesitate to explore darker themes such as the consequences of greed, war profiteering, and the ethics of oligarchs, which are highly relevant to events going on in our world currently.
This film is not simply a story packed with wacky characters but an allegory of how power sustains itself in our world today. Korda is not just a villainous business tycoon with charm but instead he represents the modern warlord whose survival depends on conflict. Even the titular “Scheme” is a mirror to things going on now, with war being treated as a business model and violence acting as the ultimate revenue stream. Behind the colorful set pieces and theatrical tone is a hauntingly relevant reflection of current events that I feel most people did not see when first seeing this film.
From a technical perspective this film features all the unique and artistic elements Wes Anderson is known for in his films, from his “dollhouse” style sets, wide-angle lenses, and a consistent, centered, and precise camera composition that is all extremely impressive and appealing to the eyes. I’ve always considered most of Wes Anderson’s live-action projects to be like gorgeous cartoons come to life and this film is no exception with the way the physical humor is displayed and the way characters move despite the limits of reality. People who love his style are obviously going to love this film’s visuals and amazing practical sets that are all crafted with great artistic effort that deserves every amount of praise it’s received.
Pairing with the narrative and visuals is a vibrant and energetic score by Alexandre Desplat who doesn’t fail to deliver amazing music no matter what project he’s involved in.
The Phoenician Scheme is a true Wes Anderson classic that has a lot to offer from great entertainment to a very layered narrative that is relevant to current events despite its whimsical and colorful appearance. If you haven’t seen this film yet I highly recommend giving it a go whenever you can as it is a truly incredible experience that deserves to be talked about more. I’m going to give The Phoenician Scheme an A = 97.
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