By: Gabrielle Bondi
Months ago, I downloaded the script for BURIED. There was a lot of buzz going around about it. But I never had a chance to read the script. Actually, it was more like I avoided reading it because I am a sufferer of claustrophobia. When the trailer was released, I still was hesitant about seeing it. I am not one for horror movies. Some horror movies are brainless and bloody, and I just can’t stand that. I am also a wimp when it comes to too much suspense. At this point, it should be fairly obvious that I am not the best person to go see this movie. But Ryan Reynolds (and the director Rodrigo Cortes) was doing a Q&A after this screening, and I’m a girl. Hence, I went to see “Buried.”
“Buried” is about an American truck driver, Paul Conroy (Reynolds) stationed in Iraq and trapped in an old wooden coffin buried under sand. The entire movie is us watching this man trapped in a box. You think watching a man trapped in a box isn’t that interesting, right? Wrong. Although it is not easy to watch, it is very interesting. When Paul wakes up in the coffin, he tries his best to get out until he hears a phone buzzing. He finds a Blackberry and later realizes that he has been taken hostage for ransom. The man who buried him demands $5 million. Paul uses the phone to try to contact anyone to help him. It is impossible not to become as frustrated as Paul is in the movie. No one wants to believe he’s buried underground. With a dying Blackberry, his zippo, a knife and other instruments, Paul struggles to survive.
This movie raises many questions about humanity. One of the obvious ones is what people will do to each other for money. The man who buried Paul was not a terrorist but just a criminal trying to make money the only way he thought he could. Another question is how trusting people are of each other. Several people refuse to believe Paul when he tells them that he’s buried alive. Finally, why does it seem like people only care about themselves? Paul receives a phone call from the company he works for, and let me just say that is one of the most frustrating moments in the film.
Ryan Reynolds gives one of his best performances. It was the most grueling role he had to portray. Cortés filmed and edited this movie excellently. I love the close-ups of Paul’s tears falling; it really conveyed his pain to the audience well. Intensity filled every single second of this movie. (Hear more from Reynolds and Cortés about the movie in the video below.)
Despite that films like this are not my cup of tea, “Buried” is a great movie. It is different from any other film made before, and that makes it special in an industry where remakes and sequels are very popular. If you are not sure about seeing this film, just go see it. (Unless you suffer from extreme claustrophobia because that is a matter of your health.)
Q&A with Ryan Reynolds and Rodrigo Cortés in Chicago
Sorry for the blurriness. I own a very old digital camera.
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Yes, very old digital camera did take video. So instead of seeing, listen to the video below. Trust me; you’ll want to hear some of their answers. Rodrigo Cortés and Ryan Reynolds are both very funny!
To see more pictures from the Q&A, visit our Facebook page!
“Buried” goes into limited release September 24th and wide release October 8th.
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