The Oxford Murders
The truth is in the numbers.
A woman is murdered in Oxford. Her body is discovered by two men, Arthur Seldom (John Hurt), a prestigious professor of logic, and Martin (Elijah Wood), a young graduate student who has just arrived at the university hoping to study with Seldom. It quickly becomes clear that this is the first in a series of murders, all of which are announced by the murderer with strange mathematical symbols. Professor and student join forces to try and crack the code, and thus begins an elaborate puzzle, in which nothing is as it seems, and the truth is elusive.
Member Reviews
Invites Viewers to Think and Ponder - c4th
Álex de la Iglesia entertains us with a good old fashioned who dunnit murder mystery filled with intellect and puzzle solving in The Oxford Murders. Watching this was a heap of fun and very engaging– like playing a game of strategy.
A “series” of murders occur in which symbols are left at the scenes. A clever young math student (Elijah Wood) and philosophy professor (John Hurt) believe the symbols form a numeric series and therefore provide clues to the next murder victim in the series. The script does an excellent job of first setting up opposing views on the mathematics and philosophy of truth and then drawing the viewer into an intellectual game of logic played by its two main characters. We don’t just follow along, but get actively involved as the protagonists attempt to solve murders that “almost aren’t murders”.
If you are tired of movies that treat you like an observer and yearn for a mystery that invites you to think and ponder along with its characters, The Oxford Murders is just what you are looking for.Great use of actual math and philosophical logic in an old-fashioned murder mystery - napierslogs
An ambitious mathematics grad student in number theory, Martin (Elijah Wood), arrives in Oxford eager to work with famed Professor Seldom (John Hurt). The film refreshingly starts with a brief history of math and the philosophical stances of both characters on the subject. Then the first murder occurs, with of course the use of a symbol that begs the assistance of Professor Seldom and Martin in the police case.
"The Oxford Murders" is good because it uses actual math and consistent logic. One of their only deviations is the use of Bormat's Last Theorem instead of Fermat's Last Theorem but that is just to keep in line with its fictional characters. There were perhaps a few too many twists but it was well enough written that most of them probably could have been predicted.
It plays out exactly like an old-fashioned murder mystery and set in compelling Oxford University. Like old-fashioned murder mysteries, there is no violence or gore but has a liberal use of profanity and sexual nudity (but Wood and Leonor Watling are very attractive so that's not an issue). I enjoyed the use of math and logic in "The Oxford Murders" and will likely search out future films from the writers and director.
Follow my blog Napierslogs' Movie Expositions at http://napierslogs.blogspot.comBrain teaser - 2eblue
This is not a bad movie. Good premis and good writing but not so good acting. Elijah acted more like he was in a stage production than a film. And the one actress was quite difficult to understand at times.
Despite that I enjoyed the film - figuring it out. It's worth the rental slot. Give it a try folks.
Member Reviews
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Invites Viewers to Think and Ponder - c4th
Álex de la Iglesia entertains us with a good old fashioned who dunnit murder mystery filled with intellect and puzzle solving in The Oxford Murders. Watching this was a heap of fun and very engaging– like playing a game of strategy.
A “series” of murders ...Great use of actual math and philosophical logic in an old-fashioned murder mystery - napierslogs
An ambitious mathematics grad student in number theory, Martin (Elijah Wood), arrives in Oxford eager to work with famed Professor Seldom (John Hurt). The film refreshingly starts with a brief history of math and the philosophical stances of both characters ...Brain teaser - 2eblue
This is not a bad movie. Good premis and good writing but not so good acting. Elijah acted more like he was in a stage production than a film. And the one actress was quite difficult to understand at times.
Despite that I enjoyed the film - figuring ...