Wes Anderson is one of those filmmakers that, for the most part, you either take him or leave him. I’m in the latter camp on that score, but have occasionally found quirky, nostalgic charm with some of his earlier films. Lately, Anderson has become more preoccupied with telling stories that were made to entertain him; emotionless bores featuring characters not really doing much but discussing topics most audiences don’t give a damn about, rather than telling a compelling story. I’m not saying Anderson needs to be more mainstream, but it couldn’t hurt. In fact, the proof of this is his latest, The Phoenician Scheme, which is the most enjoyable and daring movie Anderson has ever done. I’ve never had occasion to say this before, but Anderson has made a genuinely exciting movie with a driving, gripping narrative.
Benicio Del Toro is in top form as Zsa-zsa Korda, and he’s basically like “The Most Interesting Man in the World” done Wes Anderson style. He’s a rich muckety muck and shifty businessman who has survived multiple assassination attempts. The latest aboard his personal plane nearly sends him to the grave. But Korda survives and decides now is a good time to put his affairs in order. He decides to name his estranged daughter, a novitiate nun named Liesl (Mia Threapleton) as his successor, rather than his many sons for reasons that remain a mystery to him. When we meet them, we kinda get the idea between attempts to shoot him with an arrow. Along with Bjorn (Michael Cera), an entomologist and tutor with a funny Norwegian accent, Korda sets out to complete his scheme, a complicated series of land deals that a league of rival businessmen are attempting to thwart.
The Phoenician Scheme is the Wes Anderson version of a spy movie or action film, with Del Toro as the rogue at its center. Korda isn’t your typical Anderson lead character. While he’s a bit rough around the edges like Royal Tenenbaum, and shady as Mr. Fox, Korda is also a father who wants to leave a legacy behind for his daughter. Sure, he may have killed some of his rivals and maybe even Liesel’s mother, but the guy is clever, funny, and wins you over easy.
I’ve been so sick of Anderson movies where his characters don’t seem to be doing anything but waiting, as they were in the dreadful Asteroid City. The Phoenician Scheme actually has Korda, Liesel, and Bjorn taking active measures, such as challenging Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston to a pivotal game of “Horse” alongside Riz Ahmed. Along with avoiding further attempts to end his life, Korda has to sort out complicated familial issues with Liesel, as well as with his second cousin Hilda, played by Scarlett Johansson, who he may or may not marry. Things are happening, the plot is always moving, and it feels like Anderson is driving towards a big finale which he actually delivers on. There are twists and turns, including a hilarious swerve involving Bjorn, and there’s an unpredictability that Anderson hasn’t shown in ages.
Anderson’s eccentricities are all there, too. The square framing, abundance of quirk, and the vintage costuming and color scheme are Anderson staples. If you already dislike his work, chances are this stuff will keep on annoying you. But I would say they actually enhance The Phoenician Scheme, establishing a kind of espionage movie that looks like none other.
The Phoenician Scheme is among the best work Wes Anderson has ever done. It has the chance to break through to a different audience and, as it did for me, win over some who are turned off by his style. There’s a good chance that Anderson will go back to making impenetrable movies again, so I’ll happily enjoy this while I can.
The Phoenician Scheme opens in theaters on June 6th via Focus Features.
