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Death and the Compass (1995)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4/10
Reviews Counted: 6
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 5

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 362

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Movie Info

Death and the Compass is a loose adaptation of a Jorge Luis Borges short story from eccentric British writer-director Alex Cox (Repo Man). Treviranus (Miguel Sandoval), disheveled and haunted by the past, narrates the story of the last great case of a famous detective, Lonnrot (Peter Boyle). In a vaguely futuristic unnamed metropolis (most of the film was shot in Mexico City), Lonnrot investigates the case of a murdered rabbi, who was a Kabala scholar. Treviranus, Lonnrot's commander, quite

Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.

Mystery & Suspense, Drama

Directed By: Alex Cox

Written By: Alex Cox

In Theaters: Dec 31, 1996 Wide

On DVD: Mar 22, 2005

Cast

Critic Reviews for Death and the Compass

All Critics (6) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (5) | DVD (4)

A bleary-eyed fever dream lumbered with impenetrable literary references, Death and the Compass quickly loses its way and expires long before its 90 minutes are up.

January 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

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Ken Eisner

Variety

Top Critic

When he [Director Alex Cox] overreaches and trips up...the thud is resounding.

April 20, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times

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Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

Probably the kind of film for cultists who coo over Peter Greenaway films.

December 17, 2001 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The director of Repo Man takes an Argentinian short story by Jorge Luis Borges and brings it to the screen with his curious style.

December 16, 2001 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

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Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

Please take notes because you will be tested as the end of the movie.

July 19, 2001 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

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Scott Weinberg

Apollo Guide

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Audience Reviews for Death and the Compass

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As a fan of Jorge Luis Borges, I was interested in seeing this film set in a totalitarian future about a private detective who discovers a bizarre pattern in a series of recent serial murders. Alex Cox uses heavy symbolism and expanded a 55-minute television production, which is fairly evident, as several long

April 7, 2009

El Hombre Invisible

Super Reviewer

Despite its florid visuals and a game cast, "Death and the Compass" is nothing more than an empty exercise about the nature of power as triangulated between a bureaucrat, detective and a criminal. The central question is who really has the most power? The responsible one? The worker? Or the one who subverts the

December 17, 2009