Movie Review - Buried - 2010 - Starring Ryan Reynolds

There is only one star in Buried, and that's Ryan Reynolds. Not because everyone else is new to acting, it's because there is no one else. There aren't any beautiful backdrops or extras or CGI, there is simply Ryan Reynolds in a box. For an hour and a half. Such a gimmick can't work, and even if it could, Reynolds couldn't hold a film, right? Maybe not.

Buried starts off with about a minute and a half of total darkness. We hear Reynolds character wake up, as he shares the horrifying realization he has been buried alive. The audience instantly feels the horror as the camera is right there with him as he goes through different stages of paranoia. He eventually finds a cell phone, and a lighter, and with those few things, must try to get out before his air runs out, or worse.

The movie is really hard on the nerves from the very beginning. The camera never leaves the box, which gives us a very real experience of claustrophobia. If you have a problem with enclosed spaces, you will hate this movie. I found myself unnerved and I am not even bothered by such things. Every once in awhile, the camera likes to do something tricky and try to show off his emotion, which was inventive, but I preferred it just staying on the star.

The cell phone is an absolutely brilliant device in this film. It's the only contact with the outside world, and it enhances the frustration beyond all reason. Besides hearing a voice on the other side of the phone, you experience frustration as Reynolds character tries to get a hold of someone who can help him. 911 offers no help, as does a family member, an annoying voicemail, and more. All the while, it made me want to scream, just like the character in the film. By the end, I was gritting my teeth, and on the edge of the couch the whole time. I was breathing hard, and wanting to get out of the room I was in, and at the end, I was exhausted.

Holding a movie on your own is tough. Few actors can headline a movie with a couple of supporting actors, and even fewer can handle a movie all on their own. Will Smith in I am Legend and Tom Hanks in Castaway come to mind. Reynolds deserves to be on that short list. He went through the gauntlet of emotions, and was being filmed in a box. He put himself into this character and it truly showed, giving the audience a very real experience.

I loved this movie, but as I said, it will leave you claustrophobic, and rather upset someone could get buried, like our beloved character. It was a nerve-wracking movie to say the least, with an ending that left my jaw on the floor, and my hands shaking. I really recommend this movie, but it may be better to watch it with someone. And maybe with some alcohol. And a dog.