Buried (Cortés, 2010)

[ayaa1977]

IMDb Link

Get this: Paul is a U.S. contractor working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap

Here's a film which is set in Iraq that I really really wanna see. It premiered in Sundance and was highly appreciated, and no wonder, the director Rodrigo Cortés is a Spaniard, and those guys know how to make great thrillers. 

Trailer:

 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/GWVoUBgVcf8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/GWVoUBgVcf8&rel=1</a>

[kaytee]

Ok first up the film is not set in Iraq, it is set in a coffin. And only has Ryan Reynolds on the screen for 90+ minutes, so if you don't like the guy you better not bother.

I was surprised as to how he held up the movie by himself and the credit has to go to the writing team to make a solo man movie so engaging.

I would have liked it even more if the movie would have used handheld cameras and attached them in the coffin rather than showing wide angles where the camera pans out and the whole effect of claustrophobia and fear that the protagonist is going through is lost.

The is one movie that sticks with the script and does not cop out in the end just because the studios don't agree to it.

A solid 4/5

[shariqq]

Wow. Was waiting for someone from WM to see this. Gotta watch it now!

[ak]

Ok first up the film is not set in Iraq, it is set in a coffin. And only has Ryan Reynolds on the screen for 90+ minutes, so if you don't like the guy you better not bother.

Thanks, Kaytee. You have saved me.

[ayaa1977]

I will echo KT's sentiment. This is a fucking terrific film! It is so thrilling and suspenseful, and it holds one's attention for the whole run. On the surface, it is a gimmick film, but despite that, it is an achievement. To set a film inside a box and stick to it for the whole run is not the easiest of tasks, but to make this interesting and not bore the audience is truly the biggest feat. This was achieved by a terrific scripts and a very strong performance by Ryan Reynolds who is a very likable actor, but not known for very dramatic roles before. You don't have to be a fan of his to like the film, because it is not about his charisma, in fact Paul is kind of an asshole so disliking him is not really a problem.

 I wish there is a spoiler button as it used to be, because I want to say more but I can't. For instance, there is a scene with a snake that was one of the most terrifying and suspenseful I have seen in a while. The ending is terrific and is not a cop out which made me like the film even more.

Now I am really awaiting  Mr. Cortés next project; a thriller with Robert De Niro and Cillian Murphy called Red Lights. Should it be nearly as successful as this film, I would be very happy with that.

My Rating 4/5