The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
When Wes Anderson makes a spy thriller.
Presentation:
I’m usually critical of Wes Anderson for his self-indulgence to the point I had almost given up on his future projects. But I’m delighted to report that I was wrong because The Phoenician Scheme is one of the most enjoyable films from him that I’ve watched, perhaps even breaking top 5. The film has his signature vibrant production design and planimetric compositions, but what makes this film more cohesive than his other modern art projects is a shift back to narrative. There are fewer sets, the cast is narrower, and the result is a more focused story. We have the king of charisma Benicio del Toro playing an unethical businessman trying to bond with his daughter, which I connected with throughout the globetrotting shenanigans. What stands out from the playful filmmaker is the tone. This is a espionage thriller with a slick soundtrack that made the experience feel fresh and full of life again compared to some of his hollower protagonists. I had quite a few smiles and chuckles with this one.
Conclusion:
Is Wes Anderson back? I think so! It may not be as great as The Grand Budapest Hotel or his more narrative focused films like The Darjeeling Limited or Rushmore, but this is pretty close but with peak level cinematography. It’s more tasteful this time around with less randomness as though Anderson is beginning to mellow out with age, and I’m all for it. Compositionally, I feel as though he is beginning to merge with the other master of production design and blocking Roy Andersson, and likely to surpass him. Even if you find the plot gap hard to follow or artistic quirkiness to be overwhelming, I think there’s charm and soul this time around due to a tighter cast, that might make you fall back in love with the Anderson magic.
Recommendations
When Wes Anderson makes a spy thriller.