'Buried' review

Ryan Reynolds (Credit: Lionsgate)

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Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is a truck driver in Iraq who wakes up six feet underground—buried alive with no idea of why he’s there or who is responsible. His only contact with the outside world is a cell phone, which quickly becomes a source of both hope and horror. He discovers he has 90 minutes of air left. If he’s not found by then, he’ll die.

The buzz: Shot over 17 days in Spain with Reynolds as the only actor on screen for the entire running time, “Buried” is a unique filmmaking stunt. Director Rodrigo Cortés has openly professed his adoration for Hitchcock, and in doing so sets a high bar for this claustrophobic 90-minute thriller.

The verdict: If this doesn’t sound like enough for a full length movie, you’ll be surprised. Cortés pulls the tricky stunt off with flair, constantly finding new ways to keep the audience on their toes and invested in Paul’s dilemma. “Buried” represents a minor miracle of cinematography, editing, music and sound design, but would obviously fall apart without extremely disciplined work from Reynolds. Usually limited to light comedy or flashy action in his Hollywood work, he’s sensational in this physically and emotionally demanding role, finding just the right nuances as a sympathetic Everyman. Like many thrillers, the movie stretches credibility at points and will leave viewers debating what the lead character should and shouldn’t have done in his situation. But unlike most thrillers, “Buried” is actually intense and riveting start to finish.

Did you know? In addition to being the only actor on camera, Reynolds was responsible for much of the film’s lighting. He had to coordinate his cell phone and torch positioning with the film’s complicated camerawork.

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