It's a premise so simple, so basic in its unlikely intricacies, it shouldn't work -- at least not for 94 minutes. More importantly, it shouldn't work this well. But it does, and does so effortlessly. Ryan Reynolds plays Paul Conroy, a truck driver in a post-invasion Iraq whose kidnapped by insurgents and buried alive. He awakens to find himself in a coffin, his only support a cellphone and a lighter. While able to contact the outside world, he soon discovers that he is being held for ransom, and that the terrorists are also interested in more than money. For the next hour and a half, we never leave the confined pine box. There are no flashbacks, no edits to the events and/or individuals plotting Paul's release.
With Buried, Spanish director Rodrigo Cortés becomes the latest in a long line of filmmakers vying for Alfred Hitchcock's long held title of the Master of Suspense -- and for once, the reference/connection is more than apropos. Like the last scene of George Sluizer's original The Vanishing given a creepy, slow burn reality, the 37 year old newcomer milks the confining premise for all its worth, and then adds a few more intriguing flourishes to further devastate the viewer. This is a tour de force in both idea and execution, the kind of glorified gimmick that the late British auteur would have happily embraced himself.
What makes Buried work is the notion of giving the audience just enough hope while always reminding them of the dangers ahead. Thanks to Paul's ability to contact his bosses and government officials, we get to hear his real fate. Even better, his family issues help add a sentimental and tight emotional connection to the dilemma. Within minutes, we find ourselves rooting for Paul, putting ourselves in his claustrophobic place and then playing out the various horrific alternatives in our heads. Then the kidnappers further complicate matters by with their own sadistic demands. Thanks to the inherent dread created by the set-up, and the additional fear forged outside the grave, we wince at every ring of the cell, shudder as sand begins to fill up the void.
Of course, this wouldn't work if the actor in charge of holding our attention was a dud. Luckily, Reynolds proves why, all shallow rom-cms and silly super hero epics aside, he is a solid star. Since his physical gestures are limited and has no one present to play off of, he has to get everything across with his voice and face. With the occasional close-up helping, it's a performance poised to be dismissed because of the lack of basic bravura. But in truth, Reynolds' work in Buried is as important as Cortes'. Without a lead making us believe in the direness of the situation - and the bond that remains with those left behind -- we'd long since stop caring. In combination with the inventive direction (not to mention a sensational script by Chris Sparling), Reynolds makes Buried something special indeed.
Since it is told in real time, never once cheating on the possible pitfalls and outcomes of Paul's situation, this is the rare thriller that works without overstating its case. Buried is electrifying without being exhausting, an edge of your seat experience where the direction frazzles as much as delights. With this wonderful, winning effort, Cortes steps to the forefront of formidable foreign filmmakers, artists who let their talent - and intentions for same -- act as a calling card for future endeavors. While he may never find a concept as clever and concrete as this again, his skill in selling such a simplistic idea is the mark of a major cinematic force to watch.
With Buried, Spanish director Rodrigo Cortés becomes the latest in a long line of filmmakers vying for Alfred Hitchcock's long held title of the Master of Suspense -- and for once, the reference/connection is more than apropos. Like the last scene of George Sluizer's original The Vanishing given a creepy, slow burn reality, the 37 year old newcomer milks the confining premise for all its worth, and then adds a few more intriguing flourishes to further devastate the viewer. This is a tour de force in both idea and execution, the kind of glorified gimmick that the late British auteur would have happily embraced himself.
What makes Buried work is the notion of giving the audience just enough hope while always reminding them of the dangers ahead. Thanks to Paul's ability to contact his bosses and government officials, we get to hear his real fate. Even better, his family issues help add a sentimental and tight emotional connection to the dilemma. Within minutes, we find ourselves rooting for Paul, putting ourselves in his claustrophobic place and then playing out the various horrific alternatives in our heads. Then the kidnappers further complicate matters by with their own sadistic demands. Thanks to the inherent dread created by the set-up, and the additional fear forged outside the grave, we wince at every ring of the cell, shudder as sand begins to fill up the void.
Of course, this wouldn't work if the actor in charge of holding our attention was a dud. Luckily, Reynolds proves why, all shallow rom-cms and silly super hero epics aside, he is a solid star. Since his physical gestures are limited and has no one present to play off of, he has to get everything across with his voice and face. With the occasional close-up helping, it's a performance poised to be dismissed because of the lack of basic bravura. But in truth, Reynolds' work in Buried is as important as Cortes'. Without a lead making us believe in the direness of the situation - and the bond that remains with those left behind -- we'd long since stop caring. In combination with the inventive direction (not to mention a sensational script by Chris Sparling), Reynolds makes Buried something special indeed.
Since it is told in real time, never once cheating on the possible pitfalls and outcomes of Paul's situation, this is the rare thriller that works without overstating its case. Buried is electrifying without being exhausting, an edge of your seat experience where the direction frazzles as much as delights. With this wonderful, winning effort, Cortes steps to the forefront of formidable foreign filmmakers, artists who let their talent - and intentions for same -- act as a calling card for future endeavors. While he may never find a concept as clever and concrete as this again, his skill in selling such a simplistic idea is the mark of a major cinematic force to watch.
