Barnaby Walter, 03/09/2008
Although this small budget Spanish/UK co-production has many faults, there still remain echoes of intrigue and suspense. In Alex De La Iglesia's screen adaptation of Guillermo Martinez's prize winning novel, we are introduced to a different Oxford than the one we see in Inspector Morse. Iglesia doesn't linger on dreamy spires or parchment coloured architecture. Oxford's concinnity has gone, and is replaced by a claustrophobic style of film making, where snappy camera work and an unfathomable plot keep us on our toes. The gravel tones of John Hurt open the film, as he gives a lecture on the relationship between mathematics and truth. His ramblings make little sense, but what is more interesting is how the plot engineers together Elijah "Frodo" Wood and grumpy Hurt. The student/mentor partnership is soon realised, especially when they join forces to hunt down a code obsessed killer. This is when the film is at its strongest, but unfortunately the water turns murky when themes such as madness, homosexuality, personal gain and, above all, maths are introduced. There are very little University scenes, and all the shots of Oxford look grey and dull, making you think to yourself "I'm sure the sun shines more in episodes of "Lewis"". The plot seems to unravel itself as it goes along, making the ending surprising but causing elements of confusion to dampen any potentially stunning revelations.
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