The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson’s Darker Palette
A Startling Opening
Wes Anderson’s latest film,The Phoenician Scheme,doesn’t shy away from the macabre. The opening scene delivers a jolt: a man is “blown in half by a bomb,” leaving “a streak of shining red blood” as a stark visual. While Anderson’s films have featured violence before, this moment signals a shift, suggesting the film aims for something beyond the director’s signature whimsy.
Echoes of the Past, Shadows of the Future
The film bears resemblance to The Grand Budapest Hotel, a “WWII-coded adventure” set in a fantastical, pre-fascist Europe. The Phoenician Scheme advances the timeline by two decades, plunging into the post-war era. This is a world rebuilding itself, where “new threats loom, and shadowy actors scramble to wield as much influence-and make as much money-as they can.”
Zsa-Zsa Korda: Opportunist Extraordinaire
Benicio del Toro embodies anatole “Zsa-zsa” Korda, a “wealthy wheeler-dealer of vague extraction.” Zsa-zsa is a survivor, constantly evading assassination attempts, from bombings to poison. He’s a controversial figure, “hated the world over, and for good reason.” His ambition comes at a cost, exploiting workers – even referred to as “slaves” – and disrupting global stability.
Did You Know?
The term “oligarchy,” central to the film’s theme, refers to a small group of people having control of a country, association, or institution.
A Rakish Return?
Zsa-zsa evokes memories of royal Tenenbaum, Gene Hackman’s flawed yet endearing character. Del toro crafts a similar duality, albeit on a larger scale. Despite his misdeeds, Zsa-zsa possesses a certain charm, “a confidence that suggests he may actually know the secret machinery that governs all things.”
Family Complications
The arrival of Zsa-zsa’s daughter,Liesl (Mia Threapleton),complicates matters. Summoned from her convent to inherit her father’s fortune, she is both “suspicious of her estranged father, but drawn to him too.” Her concern extends to her nine brothers, a group Zsa-zsa deems untrustworthy.He seeks to mentor Liesl, guiding her in his business dealings while attempting to salvage his fortune from an American intelligence agency’s interference.
A Journey Through Fictional Landscapes
The film unfolds as an episodic journey through a fictional region blending Southern Europe and North Africa. Similar to Asteroid City, Anderson utilizes “desert vistas, all soothing austerity and whispering loneliness.” This serene backdrop is punctuated by bursts of violence, reminding viewers of the high stakes in Zsa-zsa’s quest for world domination.
Intrigue Derailed
Despite the initial intrigue, the plot falters. As Zsa-zsa and Liesl seek loans from various associates, portrayed by a star-studded cast including Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, and benedict Cumberbatch, “the film meanders into tedium.” Anderson’s signature style, while meticulously crafted, can “alienate the viewer from his meticulously crafted but chilly creation.” While Del Toro and Threapleton deliver “winsome performances,” they struggle to maintain audience engagement. The film’s “ornately articulated surreality” becomes a detriment, lacking a significant connection to reality and drifting “away into frustrating abstraction.”
Pro Tip
pay attention to the visual details in Anderson’s films.The meticulous set design and color palettes often contribute to the overall meaning and emotional impact.
Redemption Through Morality
Anderson ultimately salvages the film with a surprisingly “sweet-and, in some ways, provocative-moral argument.” The Phoenician Scheme addresses “the tyranny of oligarchy and the hoarding of wealth,” advocating for “sanity and compassion” towards the wealthy elite. Anderson’s nuanced perspective on aristocracy prevents harsh judgments, but the film envisions “a simpler way of being, one of harmless personal contentment.”
A humanist Conclusion
The film concludes on a “humanist note,” a moment of “hush and harmony” contrasting with it’s violent beginning. It offers a poignant message: the value of a modest and decent life, a life that even the world’s wealthiest could enjoy if they ceased their destructive pursuits. Though, the film’s target audience – those “weird zillionaires” – are unlikely to heed its message, leaving the rest of us to learn the lesson on their behalf.
