‘Buried’ in Suspense

Most people go to the movies to escape. But with “Buried,” the experience is all about being trapped.

This no-holds-barred thriller takes the classic fear of claustrophobia, applies it to one of the most confining settings possible, and stays there for the entire film as it progressively wracks up the tension to 11. And oh man, does it get intense.

The movie opens up in complete darkness, soon accompanied by the grunts and struggling confusion of Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds). Paul had been transporting supplies as a truck driver in Iraq when his convoy was attacked by insurgents. He awakes to find himself buried alive in a stifling wood coffin in the middle of the Iraqi desert, with only a couple items at his disposal — most importantly a halfway charged cell phone, a lighter and about 90 minutes of air.

Realizing his situation, Paul frantically starts calling numbers for help, only to encounter frustration and dead ends from 911, his employers and anyone else on the outside world he can reach. Finally his captors call him and demand a huge ransom he couldn’t possibly pay, giving him a little over an hour to obtain the money. Paul’s expiration date starts ticking as the terrorists grow dangerously impatient and he faces more and more constraining obstacles. His only form of hope lies in a hostage negotiator who’s trying to find and save him before time runs out.

From a technical standpoint, “Buried” has to be one of the most basic movies I’ve ever seen. The entire film takes place in the coffin, in real time, with Reynolds onscreen for virtually every second of it. With the exception of one brief video message on the phone, Reynolds is the only actor the audience ever sees; all others are simply voices.

Less really is more with this superbly executed, minimalistic approach. A surprising amount of action occurs inside the coffin and over the phone, with new threats and twists constantly plaguing Paul. The phone battery continues to drain — time is not in his favor and his survival is always at stake, so the tension never truly lets up.

Besides a couple of dry spots once in awhile, Chris Sparling’s script keeps the story moving with a swift pace, filled with lots of emotion and even some intelligent social commentary on the disregard for human life during the Iraq War. While that last aspect gets heavy-handed at some points, it does add another layer to the story, giving it the dimension needed to turn the film into more than just an experiment of low-key suspense.

Director Rodrigo Cortés takes the movie’s unique concept and builds it into a powerhouse of intensity, more than apt for comparisons to Hitchcock’s masterpiece “Rear Window” and his single setting slow-burner “Lifeboat.” Using an engrossing style of inventive camera angles, powerful musical cues and most importantly directing Mr. Reynolds to full effect, Cortés creates the most claustrophobic thrill ride since the spelunking horror of “The Descent.” Occasionally he substitutes suspense for a little dark humor or compelling drama, but once “Buried” gets up and running, Cortés grabs the audience by the throat and drags them straight through hell on Paul’s journey.

Of course, all of this would fall flat without a commanding performance from Reynolds, and he nails it with the acting job of his career. Reynolds has typically been known for his comedic ability and witty charm, but in “Buried” he gets a full-on showcase of his little-known acting chops, efficiently sustaining this one man show for 90 minutes. He captures the whole range of emotions, from the humor and sarcasm he’s familiar with to poignant drama and sadness when he’s talking to family members for what may be the last time. But usually he manifests an exhilarating sense of urgency and danger.

My heart kept racing and my body couldn’t stop shaking even after the explosion of suspense from the ending. This film is the definition of a nail-biter; Cortés’ outrageous little experiment seems like it shouldn’t work for a whole movie, yet it actually proves wildly successful. Those afraid of tight spaces ought to stay far away due to risk of psychological scarring, but anyone ready for the most intense thriller of the year will want to seek out “Buried” immediately.

Three and a Half out of Four Stars