FrightFest 2010: Buried (2010)

20th Sep 10





Plot
Paul Conroy, an American truck driver working in Iraq, wakes up to find himself buried underground in a coffin with nothing but a Blackberry, a lighter, a pen and a hipflask of alcohol to keep him company. Quickly running out of oxygen, it is a race against time for Paul to find out who put him there and how to escape.

Review
Due to last-minute issues from Westminster City Council, the highly anticipated, last-minute replacement for A Serbian Film at FrightFest 2010 was revealed to be none other than the claustrophobic thriller, Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds.

The trailer for this film certainly doesn't give anything away; with quick cuts, very little distinguishable dialogue and artsy graphics, it leaves the viewer almost completely in the dark (excuse the pun) as to what is happening.

The premise of a feature-length film with just a man, alive in a sealed coffin, brought about the same apprehension for me as Adam Green's Frozen; how can a film with such a seemingly limited idea at it's core hold an audience's attention for over 90 minutes?

But, as with Frozen, Buried proved my theory wrong, keeping me on tenterhooks every step of the way. With just a BlackBerry for communication, we follow every step of Paul's terrifying journey of confusion, to find out why he is there and how on earth he will escape.

It takes an incredibly talented actor to carry a film on his own, especially when his set is only 7ft long by 3ft wide. If you've only ever seen Ryan Reynolds in the countless dull Rom-Coms he's starred in before, I urge you to leave your reservations behind and see this film, and prepare to be blown out of the water.

This movie is a gorgeous mix of drama and horror of the most basic kind; fear of dying alone, with a dash of humour and sadness along the way. The fact that you don't see a lot of what goes on really sends your imagination into overdrive. This is one film that could never be accused of being dull or forgettable, aside from being gripping and tense from the get-go, it also has a lot of human moments that everyone can identify with.

This movie will pull at your heartstrings and keep you guessing until the last frame. Do not miss it.

Posted by
Kimblebee



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