The Phoenician Scheme

Wes Anderson’s films are almost immediately recognizable, as his devotees and detractors are well aware. His latest oddball affair, The Phoenician Scheme, is another distinct and delightful example.

You’ve never seen a period espionage thriller quite like this — an absurd and cartoonish and occasionally bewildering trifle that’s also consistently and thoroughly amusing. Beneath the surface, it resonates as a sly and surreal satire about imperialism and corporate greed.

However, Anderson also self-consciously ramps up the idiosyncrasies for no discernible narrative reason, making this effort strictly for established fans.

Set in a fictionalized version of the 1950s, the story centers on corrupt industrial tycoon and high-stakes swindler Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), who has a habit of cheating death yet must finally confront his mortality.

At first, the widower makes a misguided attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), an aspiring nun who Korda recruits for one final act of subterfuge before she potentially inherits the family business.

In this case, Korda is trying to manipulate financial markets through infrastructure projects and construction contracts in a developing country known as Phoenicia. Korda and Liesl, along with a Scandinavian entomologist (Michael Cera), embark on a global odyssey to surreptitiously secure investors.

That prompts encounters with, among others, a wealthy prince (Riz Ahmed), an American mogul (Jeffrey Wright), and a nightclub proprietor (Mathieu Amalric), plus Korda’s own relatives including a distant cousin (Scarlett Johansson) and a loopy uncle (Benedict Cumberbatch).

One enchanting throwaway sequence involves an impromptu basketball game (with Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston teaming up as ringers) in a dark railroad tunnel.

The film indulges in Anderson’s trademark visual quirks, including meticulous production and set design to reflect a level of intricate artifice, as well as symmetrical framing and methodical camera pans.

As usual, he lures a deep and talented ensemble cast, including several familiar faces from his usual troupe for some weird accent roulette. Yet the characters are intentionally kept at an aloof emotional distance — most of them are either ruthless criminals or willing accomplices, after all.

Moviegoers on the same offbeat wavelength will enjoy some big laughs and clever misdirection amid the array of rapid-fire sight gags and one-liners.

Adding in a playful and subversive exploration of spirituality and the afterlife, The Phoenician Scheme gains momentum and intrigue as it goes along. Still, the uninitiated have been warned.

Rated PG-13, 101 minutes.