Review of The Oxford Murders (2008) by Jemps G — 06 Jan 2009

The Oxford Murders will undoubtedly be likened to the unimpressively executed The Da Vinci Code except that since it's a foreign film, its additional draw is the expected gratuitous nudity.

While the delicious Leonor Watling certainly delivers on that as everyone's love interest Nurse Lorna, it's jarring to see her at it with Elijah Wood, who still can't shake off his most memorable role as a gay hobbit. Somehow, he manages to earn leading man status as Martin, an American exchange student at Oxford University, desperately seeking an ascerbic but brilliant professor Arthur Seldom (John Hurt) to be his thesis mentor. Instead, they get embroiled in a homicide and end up putting their heads together to stop what may be a serial killer apparently linked by math symbols. Julie Cox is positively creepy as the cellist Beth, Martin's housemate and daughter of Mrs. Eagleton, the equally chilly Anna Massey.

A whodunit that doesn't take its plot so seriously despite Wood's overly huge eyes, The Oxford Murders certainly delivers arthouse-style with its super stark imagery and crisp cinematography. Enjoy director Alex de la Iglesia's impeccable skills shown off especially in a wonderfully choreographed uber-long continuous shot in homage to Psycho/Citizen Kane following the characters outdoors, inside a shop, back outside and finally resting onto the scene of the crime.