The Oxford Murders

Arthur Seldom (Hurt) is an internationally renowned expert on logical series. In lecturing to the public on the existence of truth, he meets debate in the form of Martin (Wood). Martin defends his faith in the mathematical truths underpinning reality. The debate goes on, venturing to the notion of the "purely intellectual murderer" - a concept soon to be examined in much closer detail.

Meeting your new professor away from the department is never easy, not least when you've just had a row in public. However, when your first meeting involves the discovery of murder, the nerves are rapidly set aside as the fear and worry take a firm grip. For Arthur and Martin, finding Mrs. Eagleton (Arthur’s friend and Martin's landlady) means that differences must be set aside and the killer's code cracked.

If you have a maths background then you may soon find yourself listening to theories and conjectures that you've long since covered in lectures, or even at school. All I can say is don't let that deter you! Admittedly, the use of Fibonacci (again!) when others would have sufficed, is reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code, but the plot to which they lend themselves is far from basic. Set in the glorious surroundings of Oxford, the film does bring back memories of Morse. In some ways this film would fit in perfectly as a script for an episode of Lewis, but there's more to the film than that, including the Spanish nurse Lorna (Watling), who adds human beauty to the picturesque Oxford backdrop.

The presence of Elijah Wood and John Hurt in Alex de la Iglesia's second English language film doesn't have the level of impact you'd expect, though they do take this further than the average crime film, with logic and truth entwining and coming to blows to give the film its charm. It's not quite a “must-see”, but if you like a murder-mystery then pop this one in the diary!

Robert Gardner