The Phoenician Scheme (2025)

 

The Phoenician Scheme (2025)

 

4/10

Starring

Benicio del Toro

Mia Threapleton

Michael Cera

 

Directed by Wes Anderson

 

One thing this movie has that I appreciate, and you will too, is the production. The production style is very magnificent, and you will see how Wes Anderson (Director, Producer and Writer) was able to cut cost, but in a way that shows style instead of lack. Another thing is the cast and their acting, there is nothing so great as when actors go all out in the work they do and give performances that are hard to criticize. The movie boasts actors from around the globe, delivering at all cost and making sure each leaves a mark in the very scene they are in.

With all that said, this movie is not funny, it is not fun, and at times it was a bore. I do give the suspense and espionage aspect of the movie a good clap, but the story and supposed black comedy that is meant to join this mystery together to give a compelling story was lacking.

The plot is about an arms dealer and industrialist Anatole "Zsa-Zsa" Korda. He has many children, some adopted, and he is also known as 5%, because a lot of his schemes have him claiming 5% of the revenue.

The movie starts with an assassination attempt on his life, which he survives, and we come to see that this has not been a one-off thing. His survival puts him at a junction in his life where he has to think about what will happen to his empire and fortune if he dies. So he calls his daughter, an aspiring nun, and gets her to sign a contract, making her the sole heir of his fortune. Together they travel the globe, she learning from him how he runs things, and he getting to know her in his own off-putting way.

Their travels take them through another assassination attempt, Zsa-Zsa getting shot, and other weird incidents around his life. Along on these trips is Bjørn (Michael Cera), who is a teacher and also works as Zsa-Zsa’s administrative assistant.

As much as I liked this movie's production, there is lack of good character motive for their actions, which were either meant to be secret but you could guess a mile away, or too off to make sense. You will watch this movie, and you will know from the start that this person is probably a spy, and when the reveal happens you just nod along.

In the end, you get this: I have seen an amazing movie production feel, but not that I have seen an amazing movie feel. It is forgettable, and I do not recommend a watch, except if you are one that likes to see good production and fantastic cinematography.