Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme is a playful comedy about the emptiness of capitalism

4 stars out of 5

What to say about Wes Anderson that hasn’t been said before? The challenge in writing about one of American cinema’s most recognizable stylists is that it’s easy to fall prey to meta-textuality. His work can almost only be discussed in relation to his previous films — how much and how little has changed; his recurring themes and maturation. In 2025, it’s increasingly unusual that people walk into a Wes Anderson film with no idea what to expect. 

For the past decade or so, this has also meant that there’s a tendency for critics and audiences to suffer a bit of Wes Anderson fatigue. His work can sometimes seem a bit “been there, seen that,” which ultimately feels more like a reflection of our limited focus than a real engagement with what he is doing and not doing on screen. In a culture that increasingly feels homogeneous, flat and grey, Anderson remains a splash of colour — a singular visionary exploring cinema on his own terms.

The Phoenician Scheme wes anderson review

The Phoenician Scheme follows cold-hearted and nine-lived businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) as he embarks on a new enterprise with his newly appointed heir: his only daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), a Catholic nun. As scrupulous as her father isn’t, Liesl aims to invoke a moral influence on her father’s life, changing the direction of their fortunes and also their fate as they jet-set across the world.

While Anderson’s films generally seem as though they exist in a bubble, disconnected from the “real” world, The Phoenician Scheme often feels like a response to the selfish capitalist impulse that’s bleeding the world dry. Zsa-zsa Korda stands in as a slimy businessman who would do anything for a quick buck. The accumulation of wealth never fulfills the void that darkens Korda’s soul. Money doesn’t seem to be the point as he fails to uphold his standard of living; his house leaks, his children are alienated and his safety is questionable at best. The moral stain on his soul from sacrificing human dignity in pursuit of something so empty as money does little to comfort or improve his life — it only drives him further into despair and alienation. 

The Phoenician Scheme wes anderson review

Liesl offers Korda an alternative viewpoint. Through her religious upbringing, she slowly impresses upon her father the idea of a moral code. He begins to see not only the error of his ways, but a pathway towards redemption. Interrupted by expressionistic imaginings of a cloudy afterlife, Anderson invokes the imagery of judgment day before God as a ruthless but centering vision of a life well lived. Though I wouldn’t call this a religious film or Anderson a religious filmmaker, it’s clear that the invocation of Catholicism suggests that no one is beyond saving. 

At the centre of this question is what it means to live a good life. Is the accumulation of money really fulfilling? In this film and others in Anderson’s canon, the answer is quite clearly ‘no.’ The accumulation of wealth only leads to the need to accumulate more, at the expense of a rich spiritual life. Wrapped up in Anderson’s storybook style, it’s easy to overlook his emphasis on the importance of the natural world and community in a society that seems increasingly barren and rotten. 

In some ways, The Phoenician Scheme is one of Anderson’s funniest films in a long time. It’s overflowing with absurdities and unusual cartoon violence. The movie has more blood than you’d ever expect from his films, as Zsa-zsa suffers endless cuts, bruises and explosions. The addition of Michael Cera to the Wes Anderson universe also supplies a healthy amount of laughs, as the Canadian actor molds his awkward, ironic delivery perfectly to suit the heightened reality of the film’s comedy and style. 

The Phoenician Scheme, above all else, has an immense sense of play. Despite some of its darker moments, the film returns to an almost-childlike wonder. Anderson toys with tropes from more old-fashioned children’s stories, like plot-lines with quicksand, maps and plane crashes, while also offering a clear moral pathway within a complex world. The world may be coloured in shades of grey, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a clear distinction between right and wrong, particularly as it applies to the question of human dignity. 

Featuring some of the most beautiful images in Anderson’s oeuvre and the introduction of some incredible new actors to his roster, The Phoenician Scheme follows in the footsteps of the wistful Asteroid City. It feels like a more calm and adult approach, but doesn’t lose any sense of wonderment that has long been emblematic of Anderson’s films. While not necessarily his best movie, it’s a visionary pleasure best enjoyed on the big screen. ■

The Phoenician Scheme (directed by Wes Anderson)

The Phoenician Scheme is now playing in Montreal theatres.


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