QUICK TAKES: The Phoenician Scheme, Predator: Killer of Killers, Wick Is Pain, and Dogma (25th Anniversary)
by Josh Sewell
The Phoenician Scheme
(Rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, nude images, and smoking throughout. Opens in theaters on June 6.)
The premise: Wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) appoints his only daughter (Mia Threapleton), who is also a nun, as the sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they become the target of scheming corporate rivals and assassins.
The verdict: I’ve never been a hardcore Wes Anderson fan, but I’ve appreciated his work as he evolved from hotshot young director into middle-aged artist grappling with pressing world issues in his trademark quirky fashion. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterpiece, while The French Dispatch and Asteroid City are also outstanding.
His latest, The Phoenician Scheme, won’t win over any new converts, but it’s the first full-blown comedy he’s made in quite some time. From the opening scene, Anderson lets viewers know they should expect the unexpected, while his stylized dialogue evokes classic screwball comedies.
By the end, the convoluted plot doesn’t matter all that much – it mainly serves as an oddball character delivery system. Del Toro and Threapleton are terrific, as is Michael Cera as a meek tutor who accompanies Korda and his daughter on their adventures. (Honestly, he fits the Anderson aesthetic so perfectly I’m surprised this is their first time working together.)
I think the reception will be mixed on this one, but I laughed a lot and appreciated the rapid-fire wordplay. Sometimes that’s really all you need.
Grade: B
Predator: Killer of Killers
(Rated R for strong bloody violence, some gore and language. Available on Hulu June 6.)
The premise: This animated film set in the Predator universe follows three warriors at different points in human history: a revenge-fueled Viking raider; a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother; and a World War II pilot who investigates an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. As the anthology unfolds, viewers will learn what they have in common – aside from a murderous alien enemy.
The verdict: I don’t know what I expected from a straight-to-Hulu Predator cartoon, but I certainly wasn’t predicting one of the year’s best movies. I know that’s a bold statement, but Dan Trachtenberg (who also did Prey, arguably the franchise’s best entry) and co-director Joshua Wassung back it up with a narrative full of compelling characters, shocking violence and a unique animation style. Trachtenberg also co-wrote the screenplay with Micho Robert Rutare and Jim Thomas, and one of its most exciting aspects is how it expands the Predator world in cool, creative ways I hadn’t seen before.
Going into further specifics would require spoilers, so I’ll just say the final few moments of Killer of Killers made me want to watch a bunch more of these. If you’re a fan of the franchise, I recommend going in totally blind and prepare to have fun.
Grade: A-
Wick Is Pain
(Not rated but contains strong language and violence. Now available on VOD.)
The premise: This in-depth documentary about the John Wick series, which revived Keanu Reeves’ career as an action hero, chronicles the franchise’s unlikely origins and the filmmakers’ struggle to get the original made. What started as an independent film faced countless obstacles – especially financing falling through at the last minute – before it launched a beloved cinematic cash cow.
The verdict: These days, behind-the-scenes documentaries about movies (especially ones produced by the same studio, the franchise star and the original directors/producers) are PR-approved puff pieces glossing over any real problems that might’ve occurred during the long creative process. Not the case with Wick Is Pain, which kicks off with John Wick co-director Chad Stahelski recounting his friendship with the late actor Brandon Lee and having to come to terms that his career began because he helped finish The Crow after Lee was killed on set.
From there, the doc takes viewers through the process of trying to get the original film made, even though Reeves’ career was on the wane and nobody wanted to take a chance on rookie directors. That pressure led to a volatile set and two friends who decided it was in their best interests to pursue separate directing careers. Although the movie’s second half doesn’t match the intensity of the first hour, the revealing commentary from Reeves, Stahelski and co-director David Leitch makes this one a must-see for John Wick fans – especially since the spinoff Ballerina hits theaters this weekend.
Grade: B+
Dogma (25th Anniversary)
(Rated R for strong language including sex-related dialogue, violence, crude humor and some drug content. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: Writer-director Kevin Smith’s controversial religious satire follows two fallen angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) who discover a loophole that could allow them to return to Heaven. However, doing so would destroy existence, so a group of unlikely heroes set out to stop them. They include a woman struggling with her faith (Linda Fiorentino), the forgotten 13th apostle (Chris Rock), and “View Askewniverse” mainstays Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith).
The verdict: Smith was one of my favorite filmmakers when I was a teenager, so this satire hit me like a ton of bricks back in 1999 – especially since I was working through some of my own religious issues at the time. Revisiting Dogma a quarter-century later (oof!) proves the ridiculous comedy hasn’t aged the best, but it’s a fascinating look at pre-9/11 pop culture and actors who would go on to dominate the film industry.
The new 4K restoration is fantastic, which will make for a memorable big screen experience (it’s hitting more than 1,500 theaters across the U.S. and Canada, complete with bonus content). It’s also great to see the late Alan Rickman bringing a ton of pathos and sophistication to what is essentially a two-hour poop joke, with some theology and philosophy thrown in.
Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, nude images, and smoking throughout. Opens in theaters on June 6.)
The premise: Wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) appoints his only daughter (Mia Threapleton), who is also a nun, as the sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they become the target of scheming corporate rivals and assassins.
The verdict: I’ve never been a hardcore Wes Anderson fan, but I’ve appreciated his work as he evolved from hotshot young director into middle-aged artist grappling with pressing world issues in his trademark quirky fashion. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterpiece, while The French Dispatch and Asteroid City are also outstanding.
His latest, The Phoenician Scheme, won’t win over any new converts, but it’s the first full-blown comedy he’s made in quite some time. From the opening scene, Anderson lets viewers know they should expect the unexpected, while his stylized dialogue evokes classic screwball comedies.
By the end, the convoluted plot doesn’t matter all that much – it mainly serves as an oddball character delivery system. Del Toro and Threapleton are terrific, as is Michael Cera as a meek tutor who accompanies Korda and his daughter on their adventures. (Honestly, he fits the Anderson aesthetic so perfectly I’m surprised this is their first time working together.)
I think the reception will be mixed on this one, but I laughed a lot and appreciated the rapid-fire wordplay. Sometimes that’s really all you need.
Grade: B
(Rated R for strong bloody violence, some gore and language. Available on Hulu June 6.)
The premise: This animated film set in the Predator universe follows three warriors at different points in human history: a revenge-fueled Viking raider; a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother; and a World War II pilot who investigates an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. As the anthology unfolds, viewers will learn what they have in common – aside from a murderous alien enemy.
The verdict: I don’t know what I expected from a straight-to-Hulu Predator cartoon, but I certainly wasn’t predicting one of the year’s best movies. I know that’s a bold statement, but Dan Trachtenberg (who also did Prey, arguably the franchise’s best entry) and co-director Joshua Wassung back it up with a narrative full of compelling characters, shocking violence and a unique animation style. Trachtenberg also co-wrote the screenplay with Micho Robert Rutare and Jim Thomas, and one of its most exciting aspects is how it expands the Predator world in cool, creative ways I hadn’t seen before.
Going into further specifics would require spoilers, so I’ll just say the final few moments of Killer of Killers made me want to watch a bunch more of these. If you’re a fan of the franchise, I recommend going in totally blind and prepare to have fun.
Grade: A-
(Not rated but contains strong language and violence. Now available on VOD.)
The premise: This in-depth documentary about the John Wick series, which revived Keanu Reeves’ career as an action hero, chronicles the franchise’s unlikely origins and the filmmakers’ struggle to get the original made. What started as an independent film faced countless obstacles – especially financing falling through at the last minute – before it launched a beloved cinematic cash cow.
The verdict: These days, behind-the-scenes documentaries about movies (especially ones produced by the same studio, the franchise star and the original directors/producers) are PR-approved puff pieces glossing over any real problems that might’ve occurred during the long creative process. Not the case with Wick Is Pain, which kicks off with John Wick co-director Chad Stahelski recounting his friendship with the late actor Brandon Lee and having to come to terms that his career began because he helped finish The Crow after Lee was killed on set.
From there, the doc takes viewers through the process of trying to get the original film made, even though Reeves’ career was on the wane and nobody wanted to take a chance on rookie directors. That pressure led to a volatile set and two friends who decided it was in their best interests to pursue separate directing careers. Although the movie’s second half doesn’t match the intensity of the first hour, the revealing commentary from Reeves, Stahelski and co-director David Leitch makes this one a must-see for John Wick fans – especially since the spinoff Ballerina hits theaters this weekend.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for strong language including sex-related dialogue, violence, crude humor and some drug content. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: Writer-director Kevin Smith’s controversial religious satire follows two fallen angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) who discover a loophole that could allow them to return to Heaven. However, doing so would destroy existence, so a group of unlikely heroes set out to stop them. They include a woman struggling with her faith (Linda Fiorentino), the forgotten 13th apostle (Chris Rock), and “View Askewniverse” mainstays Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith).
The verdict: Smith was one of my favorite filmmakers when I was a teenager, so this satire hit me like a ton of bricks back in 1999 – especially since I was working through some of my own religious issues at the time. Revisiting Dogma a quarter-century later (oof!) proves the ridiculous comedy hasn’t aged the best, but it’s a fascinating look at pre-9/11 pop culture and actors who would go on to dominate the film industry.
The new 4K restoration is fantastic, which will make for a memorable big screen experience (it’s hitting more than 1,500 theaters across the U.S. and Canada, complete with bonus content). It’s also great to see the late Alan Rickman bringing a ton of pathos and sophistication to what is essentially a two-hour poop joke, with some theology and philosophy thrown in.
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com or on BlueSky @joshsewell.bsky.social
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