The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson has a new film. And for a while now, my excitement has been dropping steadily at the news of a new Anderson project, even though I still end up liking every one of them. I almost didn't bother with The Phoenician Scheme, but once again, the man proved me wrong. Sure enough, this film feels overly familiar, and it's very much in line with his other recent outings, but it's also incredibly well executed and perfected to the extreme. And as there aren't many directors like him, it's hard not to fall in love with something like this, especially for someone who loves a maximalist movie.
It's not that Anderson keeps remaking the exact same movie. If you focus on the genres, settings, and themes, his later films do appear to be quite varied. There isn't much common ground between a French gazette and an American desert UFO setting. The Phoenician Scheme then has a more worldly feel, mixed with some criminal Hercule Poirot vibes. But that's not what makes an Anderson film. The style of narration, the precise geometric cinematography, and the love for quirky details are what connect his movies, and it would be dishonest to argue that it isn't getting just a little repetitive.
It appears that Wes Anderson is facing the same challenges as Quentin Dupieux. He carved out a niche for himself that catapulted him to fame, but he can't escape his signature style, as it is too personal. And his fan base is slowly starting to split in two. Some love Anderson for Anderson, then there are those who love him for the novelty of his films. The latter group is getting a bit grumpier now, and they'll no doubt jump ship. So far, both directors have been toying around with different secondary variables to maintain a semblance of novelty, but they're fighting an unfair battle when it comes to appeasing their larger fan bases.
Zsa-Zsa Korda is a cunning man. He's a sly businessman without scruples who amassed an incredible amount of wealth. After surviving yet another assassination attempt, he summons his estranged daughter to inherit his legacy. She plans to become a nun, but wants to give her father one last chance. Several nations have banded against his latest plan and made it unfeasible, so Korda is forced to renegotiate prior deals he forged with his partners. The biggest challenge will be convincing his half-brother, a man who allegedly killed one of Korda's wives and is even less trustworthy than Zsa-Zsa.
The cinematography is one of Anderson's biggest draws, and The Phoenician Scheme doesn't disappoint in the slightest. The framing is impeccable, the camera work and the editing are quirky, and the use of color is incredibly balanced. Anderson knows there's no room for error, even so, there's still time for some experimentation. The visual effects also deserve a mention, as they are a perfect mix of oldskool craft and technical execution. The fact that directors like Anderson rarely have these types of budgets to work with makes a big difference, and that's one of the reasons why his films are still such a treat.
The score is rather pompous, but it's perfectly aligned with the visuals, and it's an essential part of the atmosphere. The sound design, too, is tailored to perfection, especially the timing and timbre of the narration. If I were looking at the music outside the context of this film, I wouldn't be very impressed, but the way it blends in with all the other stylistic choices is impeccable. It's these details that make the presentation of Anderson's films so unique, as it's all balanced and fine-tuned to create something much bigger than the sum of its parts. So no complaints there.
For the cast, Anderson was no doubt spoilt for choice. Yes, the casting is perfect, but that's probably not too hard when everyone is lining up to be in your films. Still, some excellent decisions were made. Benicio del Toro was one of the safer bets, but he delivers the goods. Mia Threapleton was a riskier choice, but she held her own just fine. Michael Cera is the one who stood out to me. His dry yet utterly silly and self-aware delivery is a delight whenever he's given a line. It was also cool to see Richard Ayoade turn up. He's a perfect match for Anderson's films and certainly didn't disappoint.
If anything bothered me, it was the plot structure featured in the middle part. It was episodic to the point where I was counting down the segments. Zsa-Zsa is visiting five of his friends in five different locations, which means one character and location reveal every so many minutes, before going on to the next part. I'm not the biggest fan of formal chapters in films, especially not when they're repetitive and the number of chapters is revealed up front. It wasn't bad enough to ruin the movie, but I think there are better and more natural ways to handle these types of plot setups.
I had low expectations going in, but they were entirely unfounded. If you love Wes Anderson for his signature style and not for the novelty value of his work, it's difficult to see how this film could disappoint. The presentation is best-in-class, the performances are spot on, and the joyous quirkiness is there from start to finish, making this a top-tier Wes Anderson production. It's anyone's guess how far he can still push his style (and whether he can continue to find the budget to do so), but for now, I'll just keep on enjoying the movies he puts out. There's nobody quite like him out there, and for that reason alone, his films are worth watching.