There appears to be a new sub genre getting ever more popular amongst film makers. That is the single location and very claustrophobic thriller. Very recently we had the horror "Devil" set entirely in a stalled elevator where one of its five occupants is a seemingly malevolent entity. In early January of next year Danny Boyles eagerly awaited follow up to "Slumdog Millionaire" is the shocking true story of an extreme sports fanatic getting his arm stuck under a boulder and resorting to desperate risks for his survival. The film "127 Hours" promises a stunning emotional roller coaster ride upon its release. Now however we have Rodrigo Cortés thriller "Buried". A film that takes a huge risk in setting itself entirely within a coffin. Cortés' genius lies in his unfaltering committal to his story. While such a small and confining space could make for a very dull nights entertainment for some films, "Buried" surprises in being one of the most heart stopping exciting films of the year, making stunning and very cinematic use of its small spaces.
Paul Conroy awakes to find himself living every persons worst nightmare. He has been buried alive in a coffin and it is in here that we will spend the next 95 minutes. A normal blue collar truck driver, Reynolds plays the everyman with stunning conviction. He is the embodiment of being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is during his work in Iraq that he gets taken hostage by terrorists and finds himself in this terrifying predicament. With only the very low light of his lighter and mobile phone left for him, Paul must find a way out before time runs out. The unrelenting claustrophobia is evident from the start. The scarceness of oxygen is palpable amongst the audience as much as it is Paul, such is the films effect. You can feel the scratchy sand on your face and feel the walls closing in as time is running out. Kudos must be payed to Cortés for mining the concept for all its worth. He wrings plenty of ingenious camera angles and tense obstacles out of our heroes 'situation'. How the film never once grows dull or outstays its welcome is a huge success for Cortés and his team. Sound design is fantastic adding to the nerve shredding terror along with one of the best scores of the year, enhancing the excitement and tension.
However, a film like this would live or die on its central actor. It is he who the audience spends every second with and were they not up the task, the film would feel considerably longer than its 90 or so minutes. While casting someone like Ryan Reynolds in this part might initially seem disjointing, it is all the more stunning at how well he pulls it off. An actor known more for his looks and his razor sharp timing and moter mouth skills; a film like this goes almost entirely against image by casting him in dark shadows and having him react to anonymous voices on the end of his phone for much of its running time. Reynolds never once fails to captivate. It shows plenty of more strings to his bow and if there is any justice, Reynolds will be nominated come the awards season.
Cortés may be trying to make a statement with his film. The maddening ineffectiveness of those Paul turns to for help casts a damning eye over the American Government and murky Political implications of the Iraq war. Thankfully he does not let this over-power the story, rather aide and move it along. However, if his intentions were in showing the dark side of those in charge of helping American soldiers and workers in Iraq, then why paint the Iraqis themselves as such psychotic individuals. A minor criticism in an otherwise expertly maintained and stunning thriller. Reynolds gives an incredible one man performance and Cortés mounts a very claustrophobic yet very exciting small space for our hero to escape from. Along with a delicious sense of dark humour, all involved turn in one of the most memorable films of the year.
Verdict 82%
A Hitchcockian thriller that the man himself would have been proud to put his name on, Rodrigo Cortés takes its very simple premise to its extremes and delivers a fantastic cinematic experience.
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