Four brilliant mathematicians are each given a problem to solve so they can be invited to a weekend retreat to solve a great enigma. The four strangers meet on the banks of a lake, where they are lead to an abandoned building that contains a comfortable room while they await further instructions, which are relayed through a PDA. They are then locked in the room and given an enigma to solve within a minute, When they fail to do it in the allotted time the walls of the room start to close in until the correct answer is given. As further problems are posed, details about the strangers are revealed and connections are discovered, and the room keeps getting smaller. Think of the garbage compactor scene from Star Wars, but in a paneled wood setting. Who is asking the questions and why are the people being pressured?
Not so much as sci-fi as maths-fi. This Spanish film is a murder mystery, but without a murder, although one that still needs the deductive reasoning of Agatha Christie’s best detectives, with a touch of Pi Cubed.
It is engrossing, and the puzzles are fun to try and figure out even if there isn’t really time to do it, especially as you have to read the subtitles (unless you speak Spanish of course. Even if the ending isn’t totally satisfying, it is well written, with a smattering of clues along the way, most of which are only obvious with hindsight.
Fermat’s Room is on limited cinema release now through Revolver Entertainment.