We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Rodrigo Cortés’ 2010 film “Buried” is a decidedly dark film with a seemingly impossible premise. Ryan Reynolds plays Paul, an American who was working in Iraq – in the middle of military combat – when he was unexpectedly knocked out and kidnapped. He wakes up in a wooden coffin (!) with nothing more than a lighter and a cell phone. The film takes place entirely inside the coffin, with Paul trying to remember how he got there, where he might be buried, and who he might call to come and help him. He receives a call from his captor, demanding a $5 million ransom for his release.
What follows is a suffocating, claustrophobic nightmare as Paul tries everything in his power to get out and survive inside the coffin. In a frustrating turn of events, Paul calls the State Department, but is unable to get the ransom money because, well, State doesn’t negotiate with terrorists. Then, to make matters worse, Paul receives a call from his boss, telling him that he was fired because he had a secret affair with a co-worker. His services are all canceled. Not only is Paul slowly suffocating in a coffin, but he has also lost his job. Mondays, amirite?
During the course of the film, Paul will also be forced to cut off his finger, fight with a snake and record his last wishes. There’s a lot going on in a movie that takes place entirely in a coffin.
“Buried” only grossed $21.3 million at the box office, although that was a huge success for a film that only cost $2 million to make. Roger Ebert loved the film, giving it a three and a half star review, saying it exploited old fears effectively.
Roger Ebert loved Buried
Ebert noted in his review that Paul’s coffin is larger than a typical funeral coffin, allowing director Cortés and cinematographer Eduard Grau to capture unexpected angles on Reynolds. There are no flashbacks or any other device that takes the camera outside of Paul’s immediate vicinity. Ebert liked this approach, feeling that “Buried” is more effective because of its resemblance to audio or radio dramas. This is not a widespread drama involving everyone involved. It’s about what Paul can hear. Ebert even appreciated the film’s use of the 2.35:1 Scope aspect ratio, feeling the rectangular frame framed more effectively in Reynolds’ character.
In 2010, Reynolds was still trying to find a flagship vehicle. Reynolds is talented and, moreover, charming AF, and he was clearly destined to become a movie star. He had some comedic successes with ultra-gross films like “Van Wilder” and “Waiting…” and had tried to get involved in potential genre hits like “Blade: Trinity,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and the remake of “The Amityville Horror,” but nothing propelled him into the mainstream. “Buried” was one of Reynolds’ attempts to get involved in something edgy and dark. See also: “The Nine”. He tried superhero movies like “Green Lantern” and acting series like “The Voices” (which was pretty good, by the way), but nothing was a success. It wasn’t until “Deadpool” in 2016 that he found the lead role that matched his natural charm.
“Buried” allowed Reynolds to be intense and push through despite severe physical limitations. It took 16 days to film, which is a long time to stay prostrate, locked in a wooden box. Reynolds said he loved “Buried” and never wanted to do anything like that again.
“Buried” can be watched on Prime Video, Fubo and Plex.
