In consuming darkness a cough is heard, and then a groan, followed by the frantic sounds of struggle. A flicker of light cuts through the darkness, followed by a steady flame. Through the flame the panicked face of Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) and his wooden prison become visible; the tension is palpable as the reality of the situation is realized, Conroy has been buried alive.
Through frantic, and slightly humorous cell phone calls, we learn that the man we are trapped with is Paul Conroy, a U.S. truck driver working for a private company in Iraq. He had been delivering kitchen supplies to a community center when his convoy was attacked. His attackers took Conroy hostage, gave him a cell phone and buried him alive. Conroy has two hours to collect “5 million money” or else he will be left to die. Working with a man from the State Department’s Hostage Working Group, it is a race against the clock to find Conroy.
This film is reminiscent of films like Phone Booth and the recent 127 Hours. Like those films, Buried is set in a confined space with one main character. Where this film differs, is in it’s location and it’s character development. This movie takes place entirely in the coffin. There are no shots outside of the coffin, no flashbacks; it is just Reynolds and the coffin, and the movie is better for it. The viewer is literally trapped inside of the coffin, which adds to the tension and sense of panic in the movie. Since the movie takes place exclusively in the coffin, any information we learn about Paul Conroy is through his only lifeline, the cell phone. The movie hints at the man Conroy was, but never fully fleshes him out as a character. It doesn’t matter though; viewers will still connect with him and will share in his panic. Reynolds does a great job as our trapped protagonist; his anguish and desperation feel real. It is refreshing to see Reynolds play a serious character in this film. I don’t know if I could of handled being trapped in a coffin with Van Wilder.
My only criticism of this film would have to be the screenplay. It is obvious that the writer Chris Sparling struggled to come up with interesting and relevant ideas to keep the story moving in the middle of the film; as a result the middle of the film is rather slow. Which is a shame, because I would have liked to see that filler removed for some more character development, or some hallucinations (something more akin to 127 Hours). With a strong lead character, fantastic cinematography and sound design, Buried will have you at the edge of your seat by its panic-inducing finale. This is a must-watch movie.
Released: September 2010
Length: 1 hr 34 min
Directed by: Rodrigo Cortés
Written by: Chris Sparling
Cast: Ryan Reynolds
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