The Phoenician Scheme

It seems churlish not to worship at the altar of the perceived genius of Wes Anderson. He tries so hard to impress but often his colourful aesthetics and visual style seem to get in the way of the narrative they are intended to serve.

Such is the case with his latest The Phoenician Scheme, following in the wake of The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch and Asteroid City.

No one could fault the top notch casting with a splendid Benicio del Toro as Zsa-zsa, a flamboyant industrialist in the 1950s in a part that was fashioned with him in mind. The story begins spectacularly in mid-flight aboard a private plane, where Zsa-zsa, experiences what will turn out to be his sixth plane crash: A fuselage panel blows off, taking his secretary with it.

Zsa-zsa rushes to the cockpit, dispenses with the terrified, angry pilot (“You’re fired,” he says, flipping a switch, ejecting him with his seat), and informs air traffic control he will land in a cornfield because it is relatively cushioned. Cut to the smoking wreckage strewn with monogrammed valises, banknotes, books, and even a diplomatic pouch and hand grenades. News reports identify Zsa-zsa as one of Europe's richest men and mention his previous escapes from plane crashes.

Given his near-death experiences it is hardly surprising he wants to put his affairs in order, announcing that his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) should be heir to his empire. She agrees reluctantly although she has never forgiven her father for her mother’s death and is about to take an oath to enter holy orders as a nun.

The father-daughter relationship is a key element in the narrative. The young woman knows no fears in standing up to her overbearing dad who begins to crumble under her attentions.

Mix in the star-studded likes of Michael Cera (incarnating an entomologist from Oslo) as well as a prince (Riz Ahmed) and fleeting appearances by Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch as well as Richard Ayode as Sergio, leader of a radical militia, and the scene is set for wise-cracking, expansive ride in which the real challenge is to keep up with the pace as well as the information overload.

While you can watch open-jawed at Anderson’s imaginative leaps it’s still rather frustrating that half the narrative thread may go flying past the window along with much else besides. The director’s world of set-piece concoctions and infectious gags bowls along at pace yet the succinct running time seems longer. If Anderson would only use a little restraint and resistance he might find he attracts a wider appreciation.

The Phoenician Scheme is generally released in the UK on May 30. It opens in the US on the same date and then expands to a wider release on June 6.

Reviewed on: 21 May 2025