THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME follows Anatole “Zsa-zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro; Sicario) – ruthless, unscrupulous, one of the richest men in Europe – who is constantly fighting for his life. During the final stages of a vast, decades-long, career-defining business project, Korda survives a sixth assassination attempt and must appoint a successor: his long-estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton; Shadows) – a nun. With personal tutor Bjorn (Michael Cera; Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) in tow, the trio set off on a globetrotting adventure to achieve Korda’s epic mission.

For in-depth thoughts on The Phoenician Scheme, please see my colleague Brandon Lewis’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment brings The Phoenician Scheme to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a sumptuous image befitting the director’s creative vision. Given the gorgeous production design on display, this is a movie that thrives on 4K UHD, and we are glad that Universal is correcting the mistake made by releasing Asteroid City only on Blu-Ray. The new 2160p Dolby Vision transfer takes what is already great about the accompanying Blu-Ray and improves things to even more spectacular heights. The film has a heightened, playful aesthetic which is replicated perfectly on disc. Black levels are deep and inky, and any potential digital noise has been eradicated. Highlights are likewise firm with no blooming to be found. The flesh tones are natural with gentle nuances showcased well in close-ups and medium shots.

The image is clean with the vibrant color palette of the carefully curated frame leaping off the screen. The film deploys splashes of vivid colors within the costumes and background elements, which makes for a delightful image. The presentation provides a stellar amount of depth on display, especially when contrasted with certain locales. The details of each location present as distinctly sharp in all lighting conditions. The transfer makes things even more impressive when it comes to gains in depth of color, encoding, and crisp detail. This is simply eye candy for the 4K UHD Blu-Ray format. Universal delivered a fantastic disc for fans.

Audio Quality

The Dolby Atmos track provides a completely satisfying listening experience thanks to the addition of the overhead channels, which make the locales feel more all-encompassing. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever falling victim to overlapping voices or environmental noises. Everything is mixed perfectly with directionality precisely rendered across the expanded channel allotment. The sounds of the journey provide a good amount of activity in the rear channels, and music (along with some unexpected explosions) adds texture in the low end. The score does an ideal job of establishing the tone of the narrative, and this track fills the room in a truly transcendent way. Universal has provided a mighty track that effectively brings this film to life. Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Behind The Phoenician Scheme: A brief selection of featurettes is provided that explores the production of the film from the gathering of the ensemble to the creation of various locales.

- The Cast (7:36)

- The Airplane (1:21)

- Marseille Bob’s (2:03)

- Zsa-Zsa’s World (4:17)

Final Thoughts

The Phoenician Scheme is another impeccably rendered gem from Wes Anderson that may not outpace his absolute best work, yet still finds him working on a level greater than most these days. Anchoring the film with relative newcomers to his universe helps make this outing feel a bit fresher, and you still have numerous frequent collaborators making appearances. There is more to a Wes Anderson film than mere memes would have you believe. Anderson takes his craft seriously as he transports you to a distinct world that you will either be charmed by or hate. If you are a fan of his, there is a lot to love here. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that sports a spectacular A/V presentation and a few brief special features. Recommended

The Phoenician Scheme is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.