Buried (2010) Reviews

Things in "Buried" start tense and never once relent. Paul, an American trucker doing contractor work in Iraq, is taken hostage and held for ransom in a coffin beneath the desert sands by an insurgent. A real time clock runs on us we watch panic, desperation, claustrophobia, and worse faceless terrors fall upon the antagonist.

"Buried" is quite the ambitious little film. It is also an incredibly monumental achievement given that it was made on a shoestring budget, with an onscreen cast of one, and takes place entirely in a singular location. These elements are a virtual recipe for disaster if not handled with surgical precision. Thankfully, the film does just that. Making sure to slice you open with expertise before hammering your nerves with psychological brutality.

The film constantly has you on edge, never making the mistake of revealing too much too soon. Instead we are dropped into the midst of the situation and clues to the goings-on trickle in slowly making the bigger picture and the soul-crushing implications come at you in venomous doses that never lose their bite. This always ensures that the viewer remains constantly engaged and never succumbs to the exhaustion of being stuck in such close literal and figurative quarters, a truly miraculous balancing act.

The master stroke of "Buried", however, is that visceral terror of the situation is but one facet of the multitude avenues of horror that Paul is subjected to. Here is a man faced with the faceless, voices on the phone that control, willingly or not, every last second of his life. His captor is an insurgent looking for retribution and security for his family and cares not for Paul's life when his own is on the line. His potential rescuer is a military professional that plays his role by the numbers but can't hide the fact that he has seen the cold statistical reality of rescue. His employers are bureaucrats concerned more with the bottom line than safety. In fact, every phone call feels like a flurry of blows to any semblance of hope.

"Buried" never stops coming at you like a rabid dog. It is relentless, it is nerve racking, and it also sports one hell of an ending. When all is said and done, you'll think that being stuck in a coffin isn't as bad as everything else that might come with it.

Ryan Reynolds, an actor we most regard for his comedic chops, does an amazing job at taking us on an psychological roller coaster ride and being a beacon of empathy without every traipsing into that dangerous and murky territory where the portrayal becomes "too much". Much like everything else in this film he is pitch perfect.

Truly, "Buried" is a master class in psychological terror. It also very cleverly slips in commentary on the socio-political situations that arise in war-strewn countries and all those entities involved on the ground there. Taut, suspenseful, and utterly tenacious with its grip on your frazzled nerves, I give this underappreciated gem a 10/10.

Even though there was a pretty good buzz about this flick, it wasn't really successful when it was released but I think it's too bad. Since then, Ryan Reynold has been showing up in some commercial features which all pretty much flopped ('Turbo', 'R.I.P.D.', 'The Change-Up', 'Green Lantern') so I wonder how his career will further go. Anyway, this movie is probably his best I have seen so far. Indeed, the premise was really intriguing and it was really surprising how minimalistic the whole thing was. Indeed, for 90 minutes, you just have Ryan Reynolds stuck in a coffin and there is no flashback, no images of the outside world but it was terribly efficient. This way, you are really able to share the claustrophobia and I can't imagine how terrible it must have been for Reynolds (apparently, they shot the whole thing in just 14 days but still). Eventually, the whole concept was quite bold but, unfortunately, rather limiting. I mean, what can you do with a guy in a coffin for 90 minutes? Therefore, they threw in a whole bunch of stuff in this box to occupy the running time and, even though it was efficient, it didn't always add up. Still, the tension was pretty high towards the end and the ending was pretty crushing. To conclude, even though it wasn't really amazing, it remains a very interesting thriller and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

Od kilku już lat w środowisku kinomanów panuje pogląd, że w kinie wszystkie pomysły zostały wykorzystane i nie powstanie już nic ani oryginalnego, ani zaskakującego. Tymczasem nikomu nie znani Rodrigo Cortés i Chris Sparling wymyślili na pozór prostą historię o człowieku zakopanym żywcem w trumnie. Nie byłoby w tym nic nadzwyczajnego, gdyby nie to, że owa nieskomplikowana opowieść jest w rzeczywistości jednym z najbardziej wciągających i pomysłowych projektów ostatnich lat.

Nadziani amerykańscy producenci nie mieli dotąd albo dość rozumu, albo odwagi, by wyłożyć kasę na film, którego akcja przedstawia wydarzenia tylko z punktu widzenia jednego bohatera i która rozgrywa się wyłącznie w drewnianym pudle o wymiarach dwa na pół metra. Widzieliśmy już podobne wyścigi z czasem, gdzie co chwila przenosimy się nieustannie z Pentagonu, przez ambasady, po lokalne biura CIA oraz słuchamy kolejnych deklaracji, patetycznych przemówień i wniosków, że USA nie negocjuje z terrorystami. Tutaj jest inaczej. Jesteśmy tylko my i Paul Conroy, zamknięci w ciasnej, dusznej trumnie, czekając na nieuchronny koniec tej historii.

Ciężar, jaki zwykle dźwiga cała obsada, tym razem w całości spada na barki Ryana Reynoldsa. To on robi za niemal całą ekipę aktorską i wywiązuje się z zadania całkiem dobrze. Nie da się ukryć, że bliżej mu raczej do "pokerzysty" Keanu Reevesa niż Ala Pacino, lecz w trudnym dla niego, jako aktora, momencie, nie zawodzi.

Siłą tego niskobudżetowego dzieła jest z pewnością fantastyczny, klaustrofobiczny klimat. Kolejne ujęcia kręcone ledwie kilka centymetrów od twarzy Reynoldsa nie pozwalają oprzeć się wrażeniu, że pokój w którym oglądamy film niebezpiecznie się kurczy. Wielkie brawa dla reżysera za to i za mistrzowskie stopniowanie napięcia. Wspólnie z Victorem Reyesem, twórcą muzyki do filmu, w fenomenalny sposób zbudowali mocny thriller, trzymający widza cały czas przed telewizorem. Mimo, że mamy w Pogrzebanym spore pauzy (przecież Reynolds nie może cały czas czegoś mówić), to jednak nerwowe oczekiwanie na rozwój wydarzeń nie pozwala ani na chwilę oderwać oczu od ekranu. Razem z Paulem w milczeniu czekamy na kolejny telefon, na kolejny znak od ludzi, którzy mieli mu pomóc, na krzyki nad sobą i pierwsze uderzenie łopaty w wieko trumny…

*contains some spoilers*

Daring and brave film that sticks to one tiny set, one actor and one plot, and manages to (mostly) pull it off.

The idea that 90 minutes can be filled with these limited methods may seem unachievable, but a real sense of claustrophobia and tension is succesfully built over the short running time. The lengthy shot of darkness accompanied only by Reynold's breathing that opens the film clearly sets the tone for what will follow.

Reynold's performance is at turns contained and tragic, and at others explosive and frustrating. There are moments where he misses the emotional mark ever so slightly, veering into cliched territory, but that is not really his fault.
The points in the film where he phones his family or screams in frustration at the American government officials he manages to contact are not as effective as those where he merely tries to find a way out or sadly accepts his fate.

The last ten minutes are shocking and bleak beyond words, which I can only applaud. It's always refreshing to see filmmakers decide to kill the hero after such lengthy empathy with them, even more so when the hero is pretty much the only character.

"I'm buried in a box. I'm buried in a box!"

A cinematic experiment clearly inspired by Alfred Hitchcock (think Rope or Lifeboat), Buried is a 95-minute motion picture which takes place entirely in one cramped location and features only one lead actor. It's an unattractive proposition, but writer Chris Sparling and director Rodrigo Cortés have for the most part succeeded in transforming the concept into an eminently watchable, intense thriller. Buried is not exactly unequivocally enthralling and it never registers as an instant classic, but it nevertheless remains a skilful little film; an interesting exercise in minimalism and efficiency that rightfully stirred up a ruckus when it did the rounds at film festivals.

A civilian truck driver who merely delivers supplies in war-torn Iraq, Paul Conroy (Reynolds) mysteriously finds himself inside of a wooden coffin buried somewhere in the desert. Paul has no clue about his location and has only a handful of supplies, including a lighter, a cell phone with limited battery life, and other incidental items. Struggling for breath, Paul begins using the cell phone to contact the outside world. Unfortunately, his cries for help are largely ignored; people think he's crazy, while government agencies opt to use uncaring stalling techniques on him. Making the situation worse for Paul is finding out that the group who put him in the ground want a ridiculous ransom that he cannot pay in exchange for his release.

It's a natural human instinct to be afraid of being buried alive, and Buried brilliantly plays on this universal fear. Throughout the duration of the flick, the camera stays with Paul Conroy inside his wooden box - there are no prologues, flashbacks or cutaways of any sort, resulting in an intense, visceral sense of claustrophobia. Consequently, Buried is not for the weak of heart, and you may even find yourself gasping for air alongside Paul. It's highly impressive just how many camera set-ups director Cortés and cinematographer Edward Grau were able to achieve while retaining the cramped nature of the box's interior and maintaining a sense of visual interest. The sound design, too, is especially effective, further augmenting the illusion that Paul is genuinely stuck inside of a coffin. While the restrictive setting would ostensibly seem better suited for a stage play, Buried is extraordinarily cinematic.

Thankfully, writer Chris Sparling did just enough to allow us to empathise with Paul's plight. Sufficient details about Paul are drip-fed to us in an unforced manner, with the script efficiently using phone calls to establish him as a simple working man with a wife at home and a dementia-suffering mother who doesn't even remember him. He's an innocent Everyman who's been thrown into such an unenviable situation, thus it's difficult not to care. Additionally, Buried spends time commenting on the insignificance of civilian life in a war zone. The cruelty being shown towards Paul isn't entirely derived from the kidnappers who buried him in the first place, but rather from the bureaucrats on the other end of the phone line who don't care whether he lives or dies. However, Buried does succumb to a few forehead-smacking lapses of logic. For instance, it would be impossible for people to return Paul's phone calls since the number is listed as "unavailable". And the person trying to help Paul needs the encoded number of his cell phone, but when he finds out the number, Paul's first call is to his wife, who hasn't been answering her phone anyway...

Of course, the success of Buried pretty much lived and died with Ryan Reynolds' performance because he's the only person on-screen from start to finish. Thankfully, the star pulled it off. Throughout the film, Reynolds believably runs through several emotions, from frustration to hysteria to fear. The range exhibited by Reynolds is truly amazing, especially since the actor spends most of his time handling thankless comedic roles (Reynolds went right onto Green Lantern and The Change-Up after Buried...). Best of all, the actor never goes over-the-top; his performance is grounded in realism. Paul Conroy might not be an angel because his attitude is not always agreeable, but you can still care about him because of the humanity exuded by Reynolds.

While Buried's first half is a bit draggy, the second half is incredibly intense, culminating with an emotionally shattering final few minutes. Due to this, and due to the film's cramped scope, Buried is not a movie for everyone, and it's not exactly an enjoyable experience you'll want to revisit. Nevertheless, this is a brilliantly-staged little experiment which for the most part remains interesting throughout. And perhaps it does have replay value for some, as you may want to study the nuances of the proficient filmmaking.

7.1/10

With nothing but a cell phone, a bottle of anxiety pills, a flashlight and a knife, Paul Conroy finds himself trapped in a wooden coffin, with very little recollection of how he got there. He does not understand why, because he was just a truck driver making an honest living. As Paul frantically calls every number he can think of to try and get help, he begins to realize that he may in fact be trapped and he may not make it out alive.

This film is 95 minutes of pure tension. There is nothing but Paul Conroy trapped in a coffin and trying to desperately to escape. When it is said there is nothing more than Paul, it is honest. There is no other setting used in this movie other than that of the coffin. There are no other physical portrayals by actors, just one video appearance and a few voices on the phone. Despite the fact it is based in a small wooden box, Buried is still a really good movie. It is about one man struggling to find out all he can, while slowly coming to terms with the fact that he may die.

Ryan Reynolds is essentially the film. He is the only actor physically in the movie like already mentioned. At the beginning it seemed as though Reynolds was going to provide a boring generic portrayal, but as the tension builds so does his performance. His voice, his anger, his anxiety all becomes so real and life like. Reynolds proves to the audience watching Buried he can do just about anything, he held this film roughly for about 20 minutes longer than it needed to be.

Unfortunately the one downside to sticking within the Coffin is we never fully got to be aware of what exactly happened to Paul, we get a very odd description over the phone, one that does not clearly indentify what went wrong with Pauls convoy. One flashback scene could have done the trick and it would have added a visual component to what happened. Audio relay of what happened does not work extremely well for film purposes.

At the same time, the voice seems to be the one reason Paul is working so hard to stay alive. We hear him talking to a man who helps calm hostages, we see him trying to get a hold of people he loves and cares about. The voices do serve dramatic purposes, especially closer to the end of the movie when he his on the phone with Dan Brenner.

When it comes to the end, there is a bit of a debate, we here over the course of the movie about a man Dan Brenner had saved three weeks earlier named Mark White. When the end rolls around, it is a bit of a dramatic mess. They say they are close to tracking Paul but eventually stumble upon the grave of Mark White. It is never fully explained why trying to track Paul lead them to Marks grave because they were tracking the phone and the numbers Paul had given them. No one number can be tracked to the wrong place. Had they been tracking the number of Pauls phone it could not have lead them that far away from Paul, it may have lead them too a location very close, but not another place entirely. This was the one aspect of the film that is left up to interpretation and when you really think about it, it makes no sense with the rest of the film.

Despite the minor hiccup at the end Buried is still a very enjoyable film, with a surprising performance from Reynolds who seems like an odd choice for a film based solely around one man. Reynolds proved to the audience he can do it, which is why director Rodrigo Cortés wanted him in the first place. This film restores my faith in tense thriller films, while restoring my faith that Ryan Reynolds can hold his own and provide audiences with intense performances.

Who knew 94 minutes in a box with Ryan Reynolds could be entertaining? The whole movie takes place inside the coffin with Ryan Reynolds so for those of you who don't like him maybe this movie isn't for you but he does an amazing job and even if you don't like him you should still give this movie a chance. The atmosphere was great in this film I felt cluster phobic just watching it. The plot is fairly simple but intriguing. I loved how not once did they show flashbacks or anything and when the camera zoomed out of the coffin you saw Ryan in the coffin but there wasn't sand around the coffin just darkness. Which really made this an effective psychological horror and I'm not a fan of psychological horrors I've seen a lot in the past but none of them were effective as this. I also loved how they didn't show the people at the other end of the line that he made calls to you would just hear their voice. The performance Ryan Reynolds gives is outstanding and I feel these types of roles suit him very well and the plot twist at the end was really good, I did not expect it at all! It's the plot twist at the end and the rest of the movie too along with Ryan Reynolds amazing performance, that Buried leaves a lasting impact on you after you see it. I still can't get it out of my mind.

I had never heard of this, watched it only purely because Ryan Reynolds was in it, but...in spite of some pretty unbelievable plot points, I still quite enjoyed the movie. As I don't believe in posting anything that contains spoilers, let's just say that, some of the things Ryan Reynolds discovers in the coffin with him, how long they last for, is highly unlikely, but if you suspend belief and just watch the movie for what it is, it's pretty well done. Ryan Reynolds carries most of the movie anyway, and as that's what brought me to it in the first place, I wasn't disappointed. Yes, I laughed at some of the more unbelievable stuff, but...I can't really easily suspend belief :)

Paul, a U.S. contractor working in Iraq, wakes up in a coffin after being ambushed by soldiers, with only a lighter and a cell phone.

*SPOILERS*

Will he get out in time?

Buried falls into a very rare breed of the horror/thriller genre: being buried alive. While that sounds very limited, it does very well for what room it does have. Slashers occasionally scare the crap out of me, as well as mockumentaries etc and etc, but the one thing thing that scares me more than anything in this whole entire world, while it may not be a very realistic fear, is being trapped underground with absolutely no room to move whatsoever, whether it be in a coffin, or whatever the heck. Anyway, it is probably most human being's worst fear (or should be).




The director at the helm is Rodrigo Cortes. I believe this is his first American made feature length film. He decided to take on quite an intense subject, which was obviously bound to put some fear into quite a good amount of the viewers. The one thing he did so good in this film was make the situation so believable, that it's almost like your watching a homemade tape of one man's attempt to survive such a terrifying event. The music is also very limited, with the occasional heart-wrenching beat that really makes it a pretty scary experience. In my opinion, the soundtrack was excellent. Nowadays, films seem so cliche ridden that you might as well just watch the same thriller again and again. However, with Cortes' Buried you can pretty much send all the annoying cliches out the window. Each scene has a purpose, and is all building up to a very horrifying climax. The point being, for movie-goers that are sick of the same old bull-shit, you are in for a nice refreshing experience filled with, frankly, quite a few new and exciting elements.




Having said that, Buried isn't all enjoyable. In fact, there are few pretty annoying aspects. For example, Most of the people he (Ryan Reynolds) contacts, are not very helpful. They seem not to understand where he's coming from, and are just flat out ignorant. I believe he should have, and could have been given a lot more assistance. Another thing is the story, which is a tad ridiculous if you ask me. I mean, how in the hell is a man trapped many feet underground, not to mention in a coffin, supposed to get a shit ton of money somehow transferred to his kidnapper? I don't know, it just seemed a little over the top for my liking. However. It is good for entertainment value though. Not all things in film have to be realistic, right?

The one and final thing I have to say about this film is about the ending. After all the work and energy Paul puts into escaping. All the calls, the attempts to break free, and so forth, he ends up getting screwed, totally screwed. I won't say Exactly what happens, but it's one of the most depressing endings, if not the most, in my movie watching career. That, right there almost completely ruined the film for me. you, as a viewer, keep getting these signs of hope that maybe, just maybe Paul can get out alive, and from my perspective, that qualifies as a big disappointment.

If not for the claustrophobic eeriness, great acting from Reynolds, and the intense sequences of helplessness and fear, this movie wouldn't really be worthy of a watch.

6.5/10

the budget of this movie was probably the cost of Ryan Reynold's payment as well as a couple of wooden boxes, a snake, and some sand..thats all you get..sigh