Blu-ray Review - Buried

Buried
Written by:  Chris Sparling
Directed by:  Rodrigo Cortes
Staring: Ryan Reynolds

Special Features: Unearthing Buried: The Making of Buried, Original Theatrical Trailers, and a DVD copy of the film.

From the box:

Paul Conroy is not ready to die.  But when he wakes up six feet underground with no idea of who put him there or why, life for the truck driver and family man instantly becomes a hellish struggle for survival.  Buried with only a cell phone and a lighter, his contact with the outside world and ability to piece together clues that could help him discover his location are maddeningly limited.  Poor reception, a rapidly draining battery, and a dwindling oxygen supply become his worst enemies in a tightly confined race against time; fighting panic, despair and delirium, Paul has only ninety minutes to be rescued before his worst nightmare comes true.

90+ minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a box making phone calls. Sounds like a dud right?  Well, no not at all.  Buried takes one location and turns it into a tense and thrilling ride.

The strength in this film lies with Ryan Reynolds captivating performance.  It's extremely believable and is one of his best performances yet.  Of course, credit must be given to Chris Sparling who, despite shooting himself in the foot with his recent letter to academy members, turned in a really great script.  There are a couple instances of lackluster dialogue and maybe a scene or two that doesn't work but over all Buried is a success.

Despite nearly 100 minutes in one location the movie never feels slow and you are never bored.  The tension ratchets up constantly to a nail biting edge-of-your-seat climax that will leave your jaw unhinged.

The blu-ray is light on special features but the picture and sound, sound being extremely important in the movie, are both great. 

It really is a testament to Ryan Reynolds to be able to carry this movie from beginning to end.  Every frame is him, every moment is him.  I'm not sure many actors would have been able to pull this off.  It's an intense role in a very intense film and he delivered quite well.

It was a bold undertaking that turned into a great success as Buried delivers great thrills and makes for a great watch.

Buried is available on Blu-ray and DVD now!

Buried

Pop Culture Beast Rating:

8/10