The Phoenician Scheme review: Wes Anderson’s latest is a quaint tale of industrial espionage

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A star rating of 4 out of 5.

In Wes Anderson’s new movie, events kick off dramatically: it’s 1950, and we’re airborne over the Balkan plains. The wealthy businessman Zsa-Zsa Kordo (Benicio Del Toro) is on board when, unexpectedly, an explosion opens a gap in the plane’s rear section, leaving nothing but a man’s legs and a gory smear of blood on the wall. Kordo then forces the pilot (Stephen Park) out of the plane, remarkably surviving himself. A witty headline in a newspaper reads, “I’m still in the habit of living.

As the movie is set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival prior to its May 23 release in the UK, it marks an auspicious beginning for Anderson’s twelfth full-length film (counting his Oscar-winning Netflix anthology project, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More as his thirteenth).

Stepping into uncharted cinematic territory, I’d almost call it an intriguing tale of corporate spying. This peculiar yet engaging film, reminiscent of the works by Wes Anderson, is filled with his signature elements: a stellar cast (including my long-time friend Bill Murray, once again brilliantly portraying none other than God); meticulous set design masterfully crafted by Adam Stockhausen; and an abundance of witty, intellectual humor.

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Currently, the movie scene is bustling with excitement! Movies like “Wicked,” “Nosferatu,” “The Brutalist,” and the upcoming “Moana 2” are creating quite a stir in British cinemas.

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Composed by Anderson and his frequent partner Roman Coppola, The Phoenician Scheme presents itself as an amusing espionage film (though it playfully subverts the conventions of the genre, featuring elements such as morse code, sabotage, quicksand). Instead, it is primarily a story about a father and his daughter, where Korda chooses to bequeath his entire fortune to his only child, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), who happens to be a nun. Despite having nine adopted sons, he chooses to entrust this estate to his lone female descendant.

Simultaneously, a group of government figures, spearheaded by Rupert Friend, are hatching a plan to take down Korda, a man whose fortune, at times, wasn’t earned entirely legitimately.

Surely, he’s a man who doesn’t have a permanent residence and lacks a passport bearing his name. “I don’t require any human rights,” he claims. Despite suspecting that her father’s wealth was amassed through dubious deeds, Liesl decides to manage the estate, hoping to use his questionable riches for beneficial purposes.

As part of the businessman’s proposed infrastructure project, Korda and Liesl interact with family members and others. Alongside them is Michael Cera’s character, previously a tutor but now an administrative secretary. They experience unusual events, such as playing basketball with Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston, and encounter Scarlett Johansson portraying Cousin Hilda, while Benedict Cumberbatch plays the enigmatic Uncle Nubar, who is suspected of having murdered Liesl’s mother.

Impossible – The Final Reckoning, should find this new creation quite enjoyable.

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2025-05-18 22:04