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‘The Phoenician Scheme’: Wes Anderson’s Wes Anderson-ism Worsens

One wishes Anderson would stop needing to have everything visually just so and focus on things like character arcs and catharsis—things that actually matter.
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‘The Phoenician Scheme’: Wes Anderson’s Wes Anderson-ism Worsens
(L–R) Zsa-zsa (Benicio Del Toro), Prince Farouk (Riz Ahmed), Farouk's Bodyguard (Imad Mardnli), Bjorn (Michael Cera), and Liesl (Mia Threapleton) in "The Phoenician Scheme. "Focus Features/Universal Pictures
Mark Jackson
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PG-13 | 1h 41m | Comedy | 2025

Director Wes Anderson has long suffered from a bad case of Wes Anderson-ism. His Wes Anderson-ism appears to be worsening. “The Phoenician Scheme” is archetypal Anderson but significantly more so.

Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson
Film Critic
Mark Jackson is the chief film critic for The Epoch Times. In addition to film, he enjoys martial arts, motorcycles, rock-climbing, qigong, and human rights activism. Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Williams College, followed by 20 years' experience as a New York professional actor. He narrated The Epoch Times audiobook "How the Specter of Communism is Ruling Our World," available on iTunes, Audible, and YouTube. Mark is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic.
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