The Oxford Murders – 2008 |mins | Crime, Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Scholarly thrillerthat is far too clever for its own good, adapted from Argentine GuillermoMartinez’s 2003 novel by Spanish writer/director Alex de la Iglesia. Directed ina Hitchcockian vein, de la Iglesia keeps the twists and turns coming but failsto inject any sense of urgency into the tedious finale. John Hurt chews the sceneryand hams it up, while rising Spanish star Watling fills the void left by anunderwhelming Wood.

A wide-eyed Americanmathematics student, Martin (Elijah Wood), and crotchety Wittgenstein professorArthur Seldom (John Hurt) believe they have stumbled across someone attempting theperfect murder within the cloistered colleges and paved streets of sleepy Oxford.The prime suspects appear to be frustrated cellist Beth (Julie Cox); thedaughter of the first victim, twitchy Russian student Podorov (Burn Gorman), buxomnurse Lorna (Leonor Watling) or even Seldom himself; who lectures on themeaningless of existence. Seldom and Martin use advanced number theories tocrack the mathematical symbols that are being left by the victims’ bodies.