Starring Ryan Reynolds
Directed by Rodrigo Cortés
94 Minutes
Opens October 1, 2010
**** stars out of five
Due to a case of mistaken identity, an American truck driver in Iraq (played by Ryan Reynolds) suddenly finds himself in a most horrifying predicament … buried alive underground in a wooden box. Equipped with only a cell phone and a lighter, he is in for the fight of his life as the limited oxygen supply is slowly running out.
Why See It?
This movie is a one man show that takes place in one setting … a coffin. That’s all you get. One would think that in order to pull this one off – to keep an audience glued to the screen – would be a challenge. But Ryan Reynolds acts his ass off; you can touch his terror, you can feel his pain, you can taste his hope. This is one of his best performances to date.
Another reason this movie works is because of the brilliant filming techniques; the constant switching up of the angles, the revealing close-ups, the darkness, the shadows, the flickers of light – all elements are responsible in making you feel like you are in the box with him. I was having a hard time breathing myself and was thinking about leaving the theatre only a few minutes into the movie. But I decided to stick it out … I’m glad I did.
Watching this flick could be your worst nightmare come true – if you have even the slightest hint of being claustrophobic this movie is NOT for you. Even for those who have little fear of confinement – Buried is tough to watch. Yes, it is morbid, yes it is disturbing – but the movie is successful – you are held captive just like Paul. The old cliché “sometimes less is more” is evident in Buried; what is restricted and confining becomes a full-blown viewing encounter.