Written By: Brandon Stevenson
For a film that started with a budget of about five grand, Buried has gone quite far.
From landing well known star Ryan Reynolds in what is by far the best performance of his career, to gaining a slightly (sarcasm) larger budget of approximately 2 million and grossing nearly 20 million worldwide this film is sure to become the calling card for many of the obviously talented individuals involved in the production. I would imagine that the Director Rodrigo Cortés and writer Chris Sparling must be quite proud. While I would like to know how much of the budget went toward the actual production of the film and how much went toward Ryan Reynolds' salary, it is quite irrelevant as it is obvious that someone made great decisions based on the final product. Reynolds' performance is amazing and it isn't a stretch to say that he is the film. It is just over 90 minutes and the opening scene, closing scene and everything in the middle remain in the coffin with Paul Conroy, played by Reynolds.
For those that are already feeling claustrophobic watch this film at your own risk, the entire film remains inside of the coffin. While this is the most serious role of his career, it is not 100% smirk free. You may be curious how one would create a reason to laugh, smirk or create any form of comedy while buried alive. If I had not seen the movie, I would most likely be thinking the exact same thing as the mere thought of being buried alive is a scary enough premise to make me cringe. However, you must watch the film as I believe that revealing the quip would require far too much explanation and therefore result in spoilers.
While I watched this film last year in the cinemas it wasn't until my second watch, at home, on demand that I felt prepared to write about the film. Honestly, both viewing experiences were bothersome to me. Cortés has an ability to shoot this film in a way that keeps you interested from the very beginning. The writing by Chris Sparling is nothing short of incredible. Match that with Reynolds' acting chops that you never knew he had and you've got yourself a movie. One that could easily have you attempting to tell the television what you want to happen next.
After writing an article that relentlessly pitches the film, I will say that I don't believe it is flawless. There is one small detail that bothers me. However, yet again this revelation, I feel, would result in another potential spoiler and I am not willing to approach that possibility.
That being said, those of you who are looking for something rare in the days of explosions and special effects should watch Buried during your next movie night. This Hitchcock-influenced piece of cinema is created by matching a character driven story that is nearly non-existent in modern films with camera angles and lighting that will entertain you in a way that no other coffin-based experience will.
