One thing's for sure - - Ryan Reynolds was born to play the stereotypical idiotic American - - look at him burn his fuel like there's no tomorrow!

Seriously, Buried is pretty darn good as "Man in a Box" movies go. Especially good was the camerawork, essentially staying within the confines of the box, or occasionally cheating in very creative ways. The screenplay was also quite good... ...working within the constraints of the setting quite nicely to make a watchable film. Buried isn't afraid to use a totally black screen or a silent soundtrack to set the scene.

However, on the negative side, was the aforementioned fuel wasting. Yeah, yeah, I get it - - it was a fun part of the lighting scheme - - how do you rationalize that a "Man in a Box" would be able to light himself sufficiently for an hour and a half to make a movie? - - but, the survivor in me, couldn't get over the ridiculous waste of resources:

Air: He kept saying he couldn't breathe, yet he thrashed around, burned oxygen with his Zippo, and repeatedly screamed into the phone.

Fuel: Lighter fluid, battery power in the two cellphones and flashlight, the two glow sticks.

Alcohol: When he wasn't slopping the tiny flask's contents down his face, he was using it with far more flagrant stupidity on the spoiler ^ above.

Contacts: This is the least bothersome - - the guy's just a hothead - - I could buy that he would foolishly burn off friendly contacts in such a time limited scenario. Ditto on him frittering away his meager bargaining chips.

Sadly, Buried kept making me think outside of the box with those concerns - - I want to see a truly great "Man in a Box" movie one day - - but Buried isn't it. I'll rate it a 3 out of 5 on the "Man in a Box" movie grading scale. I'd even like to see this same director, with his obvious talent for visual framing, try it again with a screenwriter more worthy of his efforts.

Nonetheless, as a movie in the broader sea of movies, I will rate it quite a bit higher - - Buried is a damn sight better than most of the flotsam I've seen drifting through the megaplexes this Fall...

...and if nothing else, I have to commend it on it's boffo ending - - Bravo!!!


12 out of 5.

Directed and edited by Rodrigo Cortés, Buried is a well-crafted, straightforward suspense film laced with political anger and even humor. Ryan Reynolds stars as a civilian employee in Iraq who, after his convoy is ambushed, is buried alive with limited supplies, including a cell phone and a small knife.

The film, which unfolds in real time over 90 or so minutes, plays first and foremost as a blunt, claustrophobic horror experience, and it is effective. Cortés reaches a bit too far by including a snake in one scene, but otherwise doesn't step wrong. Through the use of inventive camera angles, different colors (from the blue glow of a cell phone screen to the hellish red of an unreliable flashlight), and and a minimalist, tense original score, Buried avoids staginess or dullness. The setting may be limited (understatement), but the feeling is never less than cinematic. Reynolds delivers a compelling physical performance. His turn always rings true, from the bouts of sorrowful anger to the ever-present heavy breathing.

What distinguishes Buried from other visceral genre fare is the very contemporary sociopolitical message beneath the surface of Chris Sparling's screenplay. The film is set in wartorn Iraq in 2006. Again and again, Ryan Reynolds' Paul Conroy is failed by the indifferent bureaucrats he turns to for help. He is a good man on the ground, while they are faceless voices of power who, it becomes clear, regard him as a disposable nuiscance.

A-

Buried is definitely a strong internal horror film. With the entire film taking place in the coffin, you get to experience first hand those fears and connect to just how scary it could be. For someone who is somewhat claustrophobic, this is definitely one of my greatest fears and the film communicates it greatly. Ryan Reynolds does a fantastic job holding his own the whole time. The phone calls are chilling and some of the many twists especially near the end are heart-breaking. Fantastic. ***1/2

I can see why this didn't expand well. It was a bold choice to have the entire movie placed in the coffin with only Reynolds on screen. It was a fairly frightening ride of claustrophobia, but I think it was hurt by its self-imposed rules. We only got to see the panicky, unhinged side of Reynold's character which made him hard to root for.



B-

BURIED - 8/10 (A-)

A well-done thriller. Ryan Reynolds was great and the ending was very powerful.

I told it was excellent and Ryan Reynolds was very good in it as well. Very suspenseful and well written. The ending was great too. One of the best movies of 2010.

9/10

9/10

Really Great thirller, and the ending is.... cruel.