The Phoenician Scheme (2025) Dir: Wes Anderson
- Ridley Coote
- Jun 9
- 3 min read
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The iconic filmmaker Wes Anderson has made some of the most recognisable and unique films of the 21st Century, many of which are highly acclaimed and exceedingly popular, mainly thanks to his singularly distinct cinematography and directing style. However, in recent years, the apparent quality of Anderson's works have seemed to diminish, with his last film; 'Asteroid City' being a true failure in the eyes of many, including myself. The question I found myself asking was "has Wes Anderson lost his touch?" - I hoped this latest motion picture would quash those doubts.
Although it was still most definitely, and deliberately, Wes Anderson in style, I found this to be a little less heavily-stylised than previous films. On this occasion, I believe this was to the film's benefit. The slight divergence in shot selection and even camera movement, at points, was both refreshing and intriguing to see. I also noted the slightly toned-down use of intense colours, which helped alleviate some of those tired stylistic tropes a little.
The story was far more punchy than some of Anderson's other films, particularly his most recently preceeding one; 'Asteroid City'. Whilst it wasn't as cohesive as, say, 'Moonrise Kingdom' or 'The Grand Budapest Hotel', this was still a very riveting and uniquely told adventure. I was undeniably and unwaveringly invested in the key characters and events the whole way through the film. In addition, the precisely defined chapters of the story, as well as the relatively consistent pacing, allowed the film to have a tremendous sense of rhythm which made it very easy to get through.
One thing that has never failed to impress in Wes Anderson's films is the incredible variety of all-star Hollywood talent he is able to attract to his projects. In this instance, it was Benicio del Toro who had the starring role, and he rose to the occasion with gusto. I thoroughly enjoyed his cheeky portrayal of the film's cunning and meddling protagonist. He had just the right amount and mix of Anderson-driven awkwardness and del Toro suave. He made the character look effortless for him to play, and had the charisma to lane the dry humour with ease.
Mia Threapleton grew on me exponentially during her time on-screen. I was a little unsure of her for the first ten minutes or so, but as her character developed, so did her performance. I ended up really liking what she brought to both the role and the wider film. The juxtaposition between her character's faith and ambition was well explored by Threapleton, as was the complicated relationship between her and her on-screen father.
I was not expecting Michael Cera to be as entertaining as he was, but he absolutely nailed his silly persona. That's not to say I expected him to be poor, but that he more than exceeded my expectations. He showed a wonderful degree of variety in his acting, which hasn't always been the case for Cera. I was particularly fond of the way he expressed the two sides of his role with such fluidity - it was very satisfying to watch play out.
Benedict Cumberbatch gave a devious and amusing cameo appearance, as did the immensely talented Riz Ahmed, who I would have loved to have seen more of it the film. Other commendations go to some of the many, many, great names on the supporting cast list, many of whom are, of course, familiar faces - chiefly; Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Bill Murray, and Willem Dafoe.
Overall, I thought this was a hugely enjoyable comedy, which utilised its director's unique style and vision without overstepping to the point of excess. Is it a return to 'Peak' Wes Anderson? It's not far off it. I was both relieved and overjoyed to have such a good time with this latest foray into the mind of the popular filmmaker. I think this film will age fairly well in the years to come, which should hopefully solidify it as a cult classic.
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