The Phoenician Scheme Movie Review: Overindulgence and overreliance on humour spoil a film with profound themes

In Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, Benicio Del Toro plays Korda, an amoral industrialist who repeatedly escapes the clutches of death. He commits all kinds of crimes, including tax evasion, botches up every attempt on his life, and takes interest in botany. He is also on the watch list of multiple governments who want to sabotage his business. Meanwhile, Korda wants his potential investors to fall in line with his infrastructure project, as it is short on funds. The Phoenician Scheme explores how Korda swindles his way through each of them even as he comes to terms with his estranged daughter (Mia Threapleton). The film has an intriguing premise, but too many Anderson-isms keep it from realising its full potential.

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson

The film touches upon profound themes, notable among them being Korda's quest for purpose and redemption. The Phoenician Scheme explores whether or not someone who has lived a life full of ‘mischief’ can fully redeem themselves. Anderson goes for a comedic and often absurd exploration of these themes. The trademark whimsicality dominates whatever little attempt Anderson makes at exploring the film’s themes. Often, the characters converse as though they are in a state of electrocution, making it hard for the emotional and philosophical weight of the themes to truly land. Besides the humour, the rushed exposition also keeps you from understanding the true nature and mechanics of Korda’s business. What is his upshot? Is it absolute power and/or something else?

Wes Anderson's films tend to have operatic qualities and unfold in a whimsical world, and The Phoenician Scheme is no different. The film is rife with trademark Anderson touches: meticulous set designs, deadpan humour, and many charmingly eccentric characters. The dry humour and subtle emotional expression make the characters' motivations and stakes feel somewhat ambiguous. For example, Korda's occasional ‘trips’ to the afterlife and back give a glimpse into the moral framework within which he operates. The trips seem to hint at Korda’s desire to explore a more ethical way of life. While there is the occasional humour to enjoy, it is difficult to connect with the characters’ inner struggles and feel the full weight of the dramatic events.

The Phoenician Scheme has a star-studded cast, including Michael Cera, Scarlett Johansson, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jeffrey Wright. But the actors get very little to do even as they admirably commit themselves fully to Anderson’s world of quirks. The film has a self-aware, almost theatrical quality. It is like watching a performance art called ‘chakyar koothu’, where the performer constantly interjects his own story with sardonic wit, even at the expense of the tale itself. For Anderson, it feels as if the how (the visual and tonal style) is more important than the what (the story and themes). Consequently, the film becomes an elaborate exercise in style, where the substance suffers.