Review of Fermat's Room (2007) by Mac A — 29 May 2012

(Spoiler Alert).

There's a serious brilliance in the idea that has sparked this movie, but sadly it quickly dies off. The thing about academically fueled films is that they have to be incredibly well-researched, but this one just isn't. It attempts to appear smart but eventually ends up coming off as an insult to actual Mathematicians --- it's just too flawed.

The most serious flaw of the movie is that in reality, Mathematicians would have survived the entire thing without so much as a scratch. If the general audience has come across most of the riddles in this movie (seeing as most of the riddles are really overused), chances are at least one in any group of three actual Mathematicians would have, too, and each problem would have been solved in a flash.

Most of the minor details are just off, too. For instance, the movie states one wrong fact about the age of death of one Mathematician. Also, the Mathematical community is smart enough not to publish that someone has solved a grand problem if it hasn't yet seen proof --- what an insult that is. And how is a PDA supposed to check essay-type questions, one of which even has countless possible answers?

Even without these goofs, the overall framework of the plot is just too shallow. What Mathematician who has spent years in fruitlessness (and thus must have experienced some shortage in funding) will be able to single-handedly prepare such a complex system of trap room, noting that his sole motive is to kill one person out of pride? The motive just isn't strong enough, and the storyline simply feels so forced.

This movie is propelled by some really great ideas, but due perhaps to lack of research, it sadly just fails big-time.