I had to rethink my opinion of this film after screening it. My initial thoughts were it was not a good film, but the more I thought about it, I realized I was wrong – this is a great film. If you’re looking for horror or a thrill ride, this film is not for you. If you want a suspense-thriller that has you feeling claustrophobic, you’ll love it!.
Paul Conroy is a contracted truck driver in Iraq who awakens to find himself locked inside a wooden coffin and buried alive. Bound and gagged while slowly realizing his predicament, he finds that his incarceration six feet under is not as simple as it appears. His captors have left him with a cell phone, a few light sources and even writing instruments. Realizing he only has about 90 minutes of air and a cell phone battery whose life is even shorter, the clock begins to tick. After finding a way to release himself from his hand and mouth bounds, he turns to the cell phone to orchestrate his rescue. Although it is set for Arabic language and therefore completely unreadable to him, he manages to dial a series of numbers to enact his recue. Family members, the State department, his trucking company – anybody and everybody who might offer hope, but alas, how do they determine where he is? Even if by some miracle there is GPS triangulation of the phone, even the greatest system won’t find your location to within more than fifty feet. And even then, he’s buried underground which further compounds the ability to find him. His captors routinely call him to set up the ransom for his release while taunting him with images of his co-workers and their individual predicaments. They demand that he record himself so they can use the video on YouTube and Al-Jazeera television or they’ll leave him to die underground.
I was a little concerned about how effective or enjoyable a film could be that centers on a single character trapped in a box. Add to the fact the entire film takes place in the box and you start to wonder just how engaging can the story be with no flashbacks to his family, or the events that led him to his current predicament. In fact, short of the voices you hear in his conversations and the few video text messages he receives, there isn’t a single additional character in the film. Talk about high production value! Director Rodrigo Cortes (15 Days) deserves some serious credit for pulling this film off. Not only is the film engrossing, but its pulse pounding finale will have your heart racing.
Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder, X-Men Origins Wolverine) portrays the captive Paul Conroy. A family man who takes a contract in Iraq to support his family, and ends up a hostage to Iraqi crooks (Not terrorists the film notes because unbeknownst to me, Iraq and Iran are full of mid-level crooks who kidnap Americans and hold them for ransom with no political ambitions involved). Reynolds delivers a performance that bests anything I’ve seen in his career. Garnering emotions ranging from elation, to regret, sorrow and even joy as he embraces his fate – he really does the role well.
What the film makes you question is, “what is the outcome I want?” Do you want him to get rescued, and how would you feel if he did for the sake of a happy ending? Do you want him to die, and if so is it because that is the realistic outcome or because the build up to the State departments rescue attempts seem clichéd for the sake of the ending? I won’t spoil you on which way it goes but know this: If you were in his situation, what would it take for you to cling to hope, and how far would the situation need to progress before your hope caves in?
Rating: 
Buried is rated R for language and some violent content. Running Time: 95 minutes
