Immediate Response: The Phoenician Scheme (2025)

 Full disclosure- I really like Wes Anderson and his Films.

I was going to see this earlier, but got something that definitely wasn't COVID and got delayed.

Well, I got my chance to see his latest Film...

The Good

* This Film is 100% pure, unfiltered Wes Anderson.  The Camera Moves, the Art Direction, the quirky Story- all of it.

* Del Toro is a fun Lead, playing a despicable person who gets somewhat redeemable as the Film goes on.

* Michael Cera is fun here, playing with a silly accent for a while and never stopping being fun.

* A cavalcade of big Stars in funny outfits/wigs/beards here.  Returning Players and new ones alike get little bits to stand out here.

* The Story builds nicely as well, revealing the Guest Stars and expanding the Plot as it goes.

* Without SPOILing too much, the Film has neat interludes (with more Guest Stars) that get better as they go.

The Bad

* Some people may be turned off by Del Toro playing such a bad guy early on.  If you don't stick with him, he's definitely 'just' a bad guy.

* Random, stylistic violence on display.  Nothing major, save for one in the 1st Scene.
* Would I have liked more of some of the Stars- like Cranston, Hanks and Johanson- here?  Yes.

* Would you be very confused if this is your first Wes Anderson Film?  100%

The Film is really fun, really stylish and actually does feature some nice heart as the Plot progresses.

Anderson is often accused of 'Style Over Substance,' but that is not the case here.

If you want to see this on the big screen, don't wait long- Scarlet Johanson's OTHER Film will push it out of Theaters soon.