Invited to a conference in a remote part of Spain, four mathematicians discover that they have attended under false pretences as the walls around them begin to slowly close in unless they can solve a series of riddles. From such a plot description alone, 'Fermat's Room' sounds a lot like 'Cube' meets Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little Indians' and it is certainly equally as atmospheric. The outskirts location and shrinking room are perfectly foreboding and the attention to sound is divine as the smallest noises of the room pressing together are enough to run a chill down the spine. The plot does not stack up well to close scrutiny with the antagonist's plan carried along by the characters doing a lot of things (especially regarding the jacket) that could have never possibly been predicted. It also seems bizarre that the quartet of mathematicians would all happily agree to attend a conference with an unknown host and specific instructions not to bring a mobile phone. If one simply accepts all the improbabilities and runs with it though, it is undeniably thrilling affair. Some surprise character revelations towards the end also add interesting layers of depth; in particular, it is fascinating how one character essentially brought the whole thing upon himself by never being honest in the first place. To say much more may ruin a fresh experience of the film, and this is a movie best entered into with as few expectations as possible. Suffice it to say, this is a much more worthwhile film with better characters than 'Saw', to which 'Fermat's Room' has been compared.
Review of Fermat's Room
