The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

17% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 33% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings

American math student Martin transfers to Oxford in the hope of persuading renowned philosopher Arthur Seldom to oversee his thesis, but the murder of Martin's landlady plunges the pair into a mathematical mystery. Could an "unsolvable" math problem provide the answers to their murderous conundrum?

Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

The Oxford Murders

Critics Reviews

View All (12) Critics Reviews
The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Perri Nemiroff Shockya.com A poorly formulated story that's nearly impossible to understand and accept. Rated: 2/5 Aug 13, 2010 Full Review The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (2) David Lewis San Francisco Chronicle This purported whodunit thriller never solves its main mystery: How and why did this film get made in the first place? Rated: 1/4 Aug 13, 2010 Full Review The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Jonathan Holland Variety A polished but verbose whodunit that's surprisingly buttoned-down given helmer Alex de la Inglesia's rep for comicbook wackiness. May 22, 2008 Full Review The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Luis Martínez Cinemanía (Spain) A duly international, duly orthodox, duly commercial production. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 3/5 Oct 28, 2020 Full Review The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Rossiter Drake San Francisco Examiner Hurt sells the silliness almost convincingly, but even from such a skillful pitchman it comes out sounding, finally, like junk. Rated: 2/4 Aug 13, 2010 Full Review The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Brent Simon Shared Darkness A math- and symbology-tinged thriller adapted by director Álex de la Iglesia, and pitched at a breakneck, didactic clip, absent any sensible, modulated emotional investment in the characters or material. Rated: 2/5 Aug 9, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews

Melanie d Unwatchable, absurd, joyless try-hard Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/24 Full Review Ian B Good actors with a tacky plot. Fun to watch and listen to John Hurt hamming up the role of brilliant Oxford Don. Jim Carter and Burn Gorman were also perfectly cast and did their best to carry the story. If you were ever a tourist or student in Oxford enthused by the antiquity and charm, there are a lot of scenes walking through the streets and inside the colleges. There were obvious references to Colin Dexter plots. But unfortunately there were too many trite melodramatic scenes and more a feeling of who cares than who dunnit that truly killed the joy for me. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/22/23 Full Review Jelisije J A very well done engaging who done it story with two men a student and teacher trying to discover the culprit in the string of murders while battling their own philosophies against each other. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/13/23 Full Review Shaun E The Oxford Murders was sufficiently entertaining for me not to write it off completely. Without trying to give too much away, the message of the film is beware of unintended consequences. Elijah Wood plays an obsessive and intelligent student who deliberately plans his way into a home of someone connected to the professor he admires. From there, a series of deaths is somehow connected by Pythagorean symbols. The plotline is somewhat contrived and convoluted, but this is also a necessity to deliver the ultimate outcome of the film. Of the multiple endings, the first was rushed and made little sense in that it would have never stood up to scrutiny had it not been for the second bus crash. I found that the ultimate ending contained at least one contradiction and was not as satisfactory as it should have been. Although there were no weaknesses in the acting, I found that the direction could have been stronger in delivering characters that felt more real. The chemistry between Martin and Lorna seemed somewhat forced, while the chemistry between Martin and Beth felt more natural. Given the ultimate relationships that were portrayed in each, perhaps the female roles should have been cast the other way. The film also feels somewhat dated looking at some of the emergency vehicles involved. Overall, a convoluted, but well paced mystery that is not what it seems. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/05/23 Full Review tom w While I enjoyed watching it, by & large, I was not pleased with the ending. It was fake, a deus ex machina that was helicoptered in to wrap things up. Plausible, yes; but fair, not by a long shot. And how is that for a string of clichés? Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Gianmarco R Films with amazing potential that are exploited in one of the worst possible ways and culminate in an ending that is pure garbage. Ultimately a waste of both time and ideas, really to be thrown away, an abnormal disappointment Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/08/21 Full Review Read all reviews

The Oxford Murders

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Alex de la Iglesia Director Elijah Wood Martin John Hurt Arthur Seldom Leonor Watling Lorna Julie Cox Beth Jim Carter Inspector
Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

Photos

View All The Oxford Murders photos

The Oxford Murders

The Oxford Murders (2008) The Oxford Murders (2008) The Oxford Murders (2008) View more photos

Synopsis American math student Martin transfers to Oxford in the hope of persuading renowned philosopher Arthur Seldom to oversee his thesis, but the murder of Martin's landlady plunges the pair into a mathematical mystery. Could an "unsolvable" math problem provide the answers to their murderous conundrum?

Director
Alex de la Iglesia

Screenwriter
Alex de la Iglesia, Jorge Guerricaechevarría

Distributor
Magnolia Pictures

Production Co
Tornasol Films S.A., Telecinco Cinema

Rating
R (Some Disturbing Images|Sexual Content/Nudity|Language|Some Violence)

Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 6, 2010, Limited

Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 6, 2011

Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.6K

Runtime
1h 50m
Most Popular at Home Now
The Oxford Murders | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Margart Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 6406

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Margart Wisoky

Birthday: 1993-05-13

Address: 2113 Abernathy Knoll, New Tamerafurt, CT 66893-2169

Phone: +25815234346805

Job: Central Developer

Hobby: Machining, Pottery, Rafting, Cosplaying, Jogging, Taekwondo, Scouting

Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.