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.
‘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.
(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
Film Critic
Mark Jackson is the senior film critic for The Epoch Times and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. Mark earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Williams College, followed by classical theater conservatory training, and has 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 featured in the book "How to Be a Film Critic in Five Easy Lessons" by Christopher K. Brooks. In addition to films, he enjoys Harley-Davidsons, rock-climbing, qigong, martial arts, and human rights activism.
