Are audiences willing to spend 90 minutes trapped inside a box with Ryan Reynolds? Director Rodrigo Cortes and writer Chris Sparling hope the answer is yes.
Reynolds is Paul Conroy, a civilian truck driver contracted to work in Iraq. Buried begins literally in the dark as Conroy awakens and fumbles for his lighter. To his horror, he has been buried alive. Terrorists attacked his convoy and demand a substantial ransom before revealing his location to the authorities. At Conroy's disposal, are the aforementioned lighter and a cell phone. He desperately attempts to contact anyone he can for help as well as his wife (Samantha Mathis).
Conroy reaches out to 911, the FBI, and the State Department as we listen in on his frantic calls. He is eventually put in contact with a special task force assigned to these abductions. We also bear witness to his chilling conversations with the kidnappers. Conroy's emotions run the gamut of fear, frustration, desperation, and anger. Though the unseen villains threaten his very life, the most frightening call is perhaps the one he receives from his employers who coldly fire him in order to absolve themselves from any lawsuit or hefty insurance payout.
Films like Buried have been attempted before. Open Water centered on a couple left alone in shark infested waters after their tour boat departs without them. Frozen was about three skiers forced to battle the elements when they are trapped on a ski lift after the resort shuts down for the weekend. Both movies were praised for their high concept premises, but neither had enough story to fill their feature-length run times.
It is a testament to the talents of Cortes and Reynolds that they are able to sustain suspense throughout Buried. Cortes wisely varies his camera angles to keep the movie fresh while maintaining a strong sense of claustrophobia and impending doom. Reynolds is also excellent, proving he can play more than just the smart-aleck. He does display his trademark flippancy on rare occasions, but he's able to convey a wider range than any previous roles. He's likable enough to gain sympathy necessary to make his predicament all the more harrowing.
Buried does cheat a little. Conroy's limited air supply is a danger, but it doesn't seem to factor in when he's constantly speaking and thrashing about. He's also burning precious oxygen with his Zippo. Still, it is a well-made thriller that doesn't need to resort to blood and guts to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Rating: ***
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