Film Review with Robert Mann – Buried

2nd October 2010

Buried ***½

Just a few weeks ago we had the supernatural thriller Devil in which most of the events took place in the extremely confined setting of a trapped elevator. If that wasn’t confined enough a setting for you, however, then prepare for Buried, a film set entirely within the confines of a coffin buried six feet (this is a film that brings whole new meaning to the term “six feet under”)
beneath the desert of Iraq and which features just one character in a solitary struggle to survive an inescapable situation. It may not be the most original of concepts – after all, the whole buried alive thing has been done numerous times before in TV shows such as Alias, Bones, CSI and Monk among other things – but the approach taken here does provide a fresh spin on the idea. More comparable to the 2003 Colin Farrell starring thriller Phone Booth than Devil given that is a real world thriller, as opposed to a supernatural one, Buried is brought to the screen by Spanish director Rodrigo Cortés and is preceded by a barrage of incredible reviews. But can a film that is just 94 minutes spent entirely inside a coffin with only one character really be as good as it is being made out to be?

Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is an American contractor working in danger-filled Iraq. A devoted husband and family man, his life takes an unexpected turn for the worst when he wakes one day to find that he has been kidnapped. Horrifically, Paul’s prison is a wooden crate buried six feet underground – and he has only a mobile phone and a lighter to help him make sense of his predicament. With poor reception, a battery that’s on its last legs, and an oxygen supply that’s diminishing with every breath, Paul has just 90 minutes to get to the bottom of why he’s there, procure whatever it is his kidnappers want, and finally – hopefully – secure his own freedom.

One thing that can definitely be said about Buried is that Ryan Reynolds completely carries it. Of course, he has to carry the film, though, as he is literally the only person in it, the only other ‘characters’ that feature being disembodied voices we hear coming through the speaker of the mobile phone. And carry it he does with this being perhaps his best performance yet, one that should quell any doubt anyone may have about his acting abilities and that is far removed from his past comedic roles as he could possibly get. His portrayal is completely believable, his reactions to the horrifying situation he is facing never failing to convince and his interactions with other ‘characters’ who don’t seem to care about him, only covering their own asses, are almost heartbreaking at times, this being a film that says something about the way things really are in the world – if you’re taken hostage but aren’t anyone special it is very likely that no one will actually do anything to help you. As excellent as Reynolds is in the role, however, this film is not exactly one of the best you will ever see. The limited setting and lack of outside perspective (something that was present in both Phone Booth and Devil) – aside from the voices at the other end of the phone calls – mean that this is not as engrossing or enthralling a film as you might hope for and to some it will undoubtedly seem rather boring. Significant chunks of the film take place in the dark, the only light sources being the lighter and the mobile phone and later a faulty torch and some glow sticks, and understandably this makes for a film that has limited visual appeal. That said, the cinematography is very good in spite of the limited lighting and camera angles available and there is some real creativity on display in terms of what we see – when we see anything of course. After the opening credits (which are rather stylish) have rolled, the screen actually stays dark for a minute or two and it almost seems like nothing is happening until the sound of breathing can be heard and starts getting louder and louder. Sound is used to pretty good effect here and is a crucial tool considering how much of the film takes place in almost complete darkness and that when there is light it is still pretty dark. And in spite of the major limitations resulting from the premise there is an almost surprising amount of tension, the level of suspense being almost unbearable at times and the level of emotion portrayed being just as harrowing. This is a very claustrophobic viewing experience, something that makes it all the more easier to empathise with the central character even though we don’t really know all that much about him and it is this sense of claustrophobia that is the true root of the tension and what really makes the film work. One and a half hours of just a man trapped in a coffin may not sound like a particularly engaging viewing experience and it isn’t completely so but Buried is nonetheless a film that may well surprise you and that shows off just how great an actor Ryan Reynolds is. Just bear in mind that this is not happy movie with a happy ending and if you don’t want to feel claustrophobic yourself this may not be a film for you.

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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

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