US Edition‘The Phoenician Scheme’ Review: Wes Anderson and Co. Embark on an Elaborate Save-a-Soul Mission
- The Phoenician Scheme, Wes Anderson's 12th film, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2025, in Cannes, France, before a limited theatrical release on May 30 and wide release on June 6.
- This espionage black comedy follows Anatoly 'Zsa-zsa' Korda, an arms dealer and financier, as he undertakes a daring infrastructure venture involving a dam, tunnels, and irrigation in Phoenicia, an imaginary desert nation inspired by the Middle East, all while facing numerous assassination attempts.
- The film features a star-studded cast with Benicio del Toro as Korda, Mia Threapleton as his reluctant nun daughter and sole heir Liesl, alongside Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, and others.
- The Phoenician Scheme runs 1 hour 45 minutes, received mixed reviews with 2.5 stars out of 4, and holds a PG-13 rating for violence and mature content; del Toro described the role as a 'hell of a gift.'
- The film's layered narrative explores legacy, morality, and capitalism through Korda’s near-death experience and strained family ties, suggesting a blend of Anderson's crafted universe with a mordant humor that appeals mainly to existing fans.
43 Articles
43 Articles
‘The Phoenician Scheme’ Production Design Stretches Even Wes Anderson’s Theatricality to the Limit
Every Wes Anderson film is a new adventure for production designer Adam Stockhausen, who has collaborated with the director seven times, and won the Oscar for his work on “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” However, “The Phoenician Scheme” — a 1950s Byzantine espionage fable, inspired by the ancient Middle Eastern civilization — might be the most exotic yet. The film stars Benicio del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, a larger-than-life European industrialist who …
Plotting 'The Phoenician Scheme'
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the latest effort by conservatives to break into the world of big-time film production, this effort headed by Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society. Then they review The Phoenician Scheme, a movie some might describe as … conservative? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for our bonus episode on Wes Anderson and his forthcomi…
Quirks over quality: Yet again, Wes Anderson forgoes substance with ‘The Phoenician Scheme’
For the first quarter or so of Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, it feels like the recently stagnant director might be shaking off the rust. The movie pops with electricity out of the gate.But as the film plays out, the rewards diminish, and it becomes the third film in a row in which Anderson’s quirky visuals and monotone acting direction render his film pointless and boring.Things start promising as wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benic…
The Morning Sun
‘The Phoenician Scheme’ review: Wes Anderson and Co. embark on an elaborate save-a-soul mission
A peculiar tension exists inside nearly every frame created by writer-director Wes Anderson. The geometric visual preoccupation of the framing; the actors, sometimes in motion but more frequently motionless; the manifestation of storytelling as a series of the prettiest shoebox dioramas in modern cinema: It’s more than a style or a look to Anderson. It’s his way of seeing the world through a lens of comic stoicism, right at the edge of art-insta…
'The Phoenician Scheme' is full of Wes side-stories : Pop Culture Happy Hour
Wes Anderson's new film The Phoenician Scheme is classic Wes Anderson, complete with a great cast delivering heightened dialogue and stylized cinematography. It stars Benicio del Toro as one of Europe's richest men, an amoral industrialist, who, along with his daughter (Mia Threapleton) and a tutor (Michael Cera), travels to convince his business partners to fund his latest venture. But where does the film rank among Anderson's past movies?Follo…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 62% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
