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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
