The Oxford Murders is one of the Few Movies That Truly Deserves to be Called 'Smart'
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The Oxford Murders brilliant script, great performances, and a mind-blowing triple-twist make this thriller mystery a must-see.
Written by James “Crypticpsych” Lasome
December 10, 2010
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Release: January 18, 2008 (Spain), October 5, 2010 (U.S. DVD)
Directed by: Álex de la Iglesia
Written by: Jorge Guerricaechevarría, Álex de la Iglesia (screenplay), Guillermo Martinez (novel)
Starring:
Elijah Wood as Martin
John Hurt as Arthur Seldom
Leonor Watling as Lorna
Julie Cox as Beth
Martin (Wood) is a mathematically-inclined new transfer to The University of Oxford. While most of his ilk would die just for the chance to study there, Martin’s there to meet up with Prof. Arthur Seldom (Hurt), a philosophy professor whom he idolizes and dreams of working with on his thesis. After gaining room and board at the house of a young Englishwoman (Cox) caring for her ailing mother, Martin seeks out a lecture where Seldom is discussing the writings of the philosopher Wittgenstein. After Seldom resoundingly debunks Martin’s theory of the truth of mathematics and nature in the presentation, Martin angrily heads home. Surprisingly, he runs into Seldom outside the house, and they both head inside… where they discover the ailing mother has been murdered, almost imperceptibly. What’s more, Seldom had been given a note that predicted the time and location of the murder with a perfect circle drawn on it.
Thus begins a deep mystery as Seldom and Martin work together to decipher the puzzle the murderer is presenting to them before he strikes again. Martin is living his dream as their discussions on the crimes expand his philosophical knowledge and allow him to work directly with his idol. As the body count rises and the puzzle deepens, Martin begins to develop an obsession with Seldom’s challenges and the identity and motive of the killer. He begins to get angrier and more deeply entwined in the mystery to the point of neglecting his new girlfriend Lorna (Watling). How far must he go and how many people will die before the answers becomes clear?
If you took giallo, subtracted almost any bloodshed or shots of murders and black-gloved killers, added 20 volumes of books on philosophy, logic, and mathematics, and set it in England, you’d have The Oxford Murders. Based on an Argentinean novel by Guillermo Martinez, this UK/Spain/France co-production is, by far, one of the most satisfyingly complex movies I’ve ever seen. This is a movie that discusses Wittgenstein, Pythagoreans, Heisenberg, and much more in everyday, scholarly conversation. It explains everything just enough for the story to make sense and flow, yet not so much that it feels like an ACTUAL lecture at Oxford. That said, of course, there will always be people for whom subjects such as those will be boring by their nature. This film may not be for them.
Also, in terms of giallo stylings, de la Iglesia tries his hand at a few Argento-esque shots, including a great sequence in which he pans past 4 or 5 characters in succession in a series of camera movements. The story and dialogue are so filled with information (and a bit of black comedy) that almost no character in the film seems superfluous to, or fully innocent in, the story. When the amazing “triple-twist” hits, the viewer might be shocked by how far the twists go and who is at fault, but it never fails to make sense.
The cast of this film is outstanding with Wood giving Martin a very subtle, slow character shift into obsession. Watling’s performance as Lorna is interesting as well; she seems to almost become Ponder’s foil for much of The Oxford Murders, trying to stop Martin’s self-destructive descent. Admittedly, it’s a little jarring when she becomes Martin’s apparent sidekick in the climax, but mostly she provides a grounding influence that Martin must choose whether to accept or ignore and nails the emotional rollercoaster that goes with that role. Finally, and best of all, John Hurt’s Ponder strikes a perfect balance between insufferable know-it-all and compassionate professor. He has his arrogant moments and borders on being Martin’s antagonist, but he never goes so far in that direction that the audience detests him. His opinions, stories, and discussions are some of the most fascinating dialogue in the film.
My only issue with The Oxford Murders is the degree to which the film, intentionally or not, makes both Martin and Ponder into womanizers. In particular, Martin seems to have women basically falling at his feet for no reason. For example, Martin sure ends up with Lorna quickly for a guy who she’s only shown meeting twice on a squash court. That said, it is true that I believed and accepted his relationship with Lorna by the end of the film and wanted it to succeed.
Overall, The Oxford Murders is a complex, well-acted, engaging thriller that will keep you guessing to its brilliant end. I pride myself on being able to sniff out twists and even I was nowhere near getting the majority of this one’s intricacies before the movie revealed them. The Oxford Murders is like an excellent visual mystery novel, shot and acted to near-perfection and demanding your undivided attention.
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