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"Buried" thinks inside the box

By Katy Wagner

Published Oct. 22, 2010

It would not surprise anyone to find out each of the 10 most expensive films were shot in the new millennium, except for one. And it takes only a hop and a skip to guess the excluded film is the 1997 blockbuster "Titanic."

The top spots are held by "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and "Spider-Man 3," respectively. Unfortunately, these films were nothing more than heaps of A-list actors and convoluted storylines wrapped around a pulpy core of top-notch CGI effects.

"Buried" does not have any pirates or a snarky superhero because the film takes place in a box. Paul Conroy, a civilian truck driver in Iraq, has been buried alive by terrorists, and now he has 90 minutes to get out. No frills — it's as simple as that.

It's an understatement to say writer Chris Sparling simply "delivered" on the script. With a film that immediately locks its main character in a box and never lets him leave, it's hard not to say the dialogue is the most important part of the film. What's most intriguing is the refreshing absence of unnecessary, witty dialogue. Realism is the name of the game here. It might be heart-achingly brutal, but at least it's real.

Even though the film never leaves its pine box, director Rodrigo Cortés manages to spin a rich and engrossing world for Conrad to operate in. A motion as simple as the placement of Conrad's trusty Zippo creates more meaning than a secondary character could. The use of light and framing in the film is so intricate it might take more than a few viewings to fully understand it.

If anyone still doubts the force that is Ryan Reynolds, there is no way to deny him now. Reynolds takes the success of the film squarely on his shoulders and runs with it. He is not just the star of the show — he is the show. Although we hear a few other voices through telephone conversations, it's Reynolds' reactions and emotions that make it real for the viewers. On such a small stage, every decision is amplified and Reynolds can control the audience with the twitch of an eye.

Even if "Buried" is not exactly your speed, you can still respect the filmmakers from the beginning to the final frame. Imagine the guts of these guys. In a time when movies are increasingly turning toward high-concept ploys, Cortés and Sparling set out to make a 90-minute, real-time movie with one screen actor that takes place solely in a box. And all this isn't just a gimmick. "Buried" is the most harrowing film experience since the original "Paranormal Activity" hit theaters.

Refusing to kowtow to the show-don't-tell rule, "Buried" stands as the antithesis to high-dollar Hollywood blowouts. It does not need ironic cameos and dazzling locations. All Cortés needed was a box, an actor and a cell phone to make one of the most original and gripping films of the year.