The Film
If you thought school was insanely boring, try watching The Oxford Murders.
The Oxford Murders is like one of those classes that you sign up for because it looks really interesting. Then, you find yourself desperately trying to keep your eyes open.
Elijah Wood stars as Martin, an American graduate student who comes to Oxford with big dreams of studying under his idol, Arthur Seldom (John Hurt). The two get off on the wrong foot, until they discover a dead body. From there, the movie is filled with math puzzles that will supposedly solve the murder. Hooray for math!
OK -- some people do love math. However, in this case: math + murder = meh. Seriously though, you don't need to be a brainiac to realize that The Oxford Murders is slow and poorly acted (really!). Sadly, the characters' smarts can't cover up a really stupid movie.
The Picture
The Oxford Murders has a surprisingly sharp image. The detail is extremely noticeable in close-ups, specifically on John Hurt's withered face and the fancy, textured clothes of Oxford's students and faculty. They certainly love their tweeds! Shots around the Oxford grounds are also extremely beautiful. Detail on the buildings is especially impressive. As far as the color palette goes, there are a ton of pasty white skintones, but this is England we are talking about. It works, as does the dim overall look of the movie. That palette does make a few items, like Elijah Wood's piercing blue eyes, pop extremely well.
The Sound
The film's DTS-HD Master Audio track starts off with a bang -- literally. That opening barrage of bullets had us reaching for the Blu-ray case, just to make sure we were watching the right movie. There are a few moments where the soundfield is filled with echoes inside the lecture halls. The movie, for the most part, is dialogue-heavy, and uses those surrounds to deliver its Hitchcock-style soundtrack.
The Extras
There shouldn't be any mystery about The Oxford Murders; this set of extras pretty much has every aspect of the movie covered. There are shorts on the book, the adaptation process, the music, the makeup and much more. If the movie were any good, this would be a real treat. However, we can't imagine anyone wanting more about this movie.
Also, the disc boasts BD Live features. However, when we went to see what more the movie could offer, we got the message, "Check back later for updates."
Final Thoughts
The Oxford Murders tries desperately to create a big murder mystery inside a math problem. However, you can leave your abacus at home. This movie isn't half as smart as it thinks it is. The film's Blu-ray package is its one saving grace, but it's wasted on a film that's no better than a run-of-the-mill TV mystery.
Product Details
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