Wes Anderson has crossed over to the dark side. Sort of. “THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME” is about, I think, the evils of capitalism and greed, as personified by Sza-Sza Korda (Benicio del Toro), an oligarch whose sole ambition, or so it seems, is to build a huge development project. Korda is ruthless, but as the film progresses, he reveals his sensitivity. After several attempts that have been made on his life, he’s scared that he’s going to die. He needs someone to bequeath his fortune to, namely, his only daughter, soeur Liesl, a nun (Mia Threapleton). Liesl is the perfect Wes Anderson character, and Threapleton plays her to a tee as she helps her father navigate the consequences of his various shenanigans, negotiations and all-out brawls on the way to alternately securing funding for his project and thwarting various people who are after his wealth.

“THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME” will not disappoint fans of Wes Anderson films. It was a fun watch, and all the ingredients of the Andersonian universe are present: a rigorous color palette, zealous formalism, an unfailing flair for nostalgia and the returning cast of actors like Scarlett Johansson and, of course, Bill Murray (noticeably absent in this film was Jason Schwartzman). A number of other actors appear in “THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME,” who barely get any screen time, like Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston. Jeffrey Wright has a scene, and he’s always a pleasure to see in a movie. He is one of our foremost thespians. A great addition to the cast was Richard Ayoade, whom I most recently saw and loved in “THE SOUVENIR 2.”

Leaving aside the evils of capitalism, “THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME” eventually turned out to be another pleasurable and lighthearted Wes Anderson film.