Genre Grandeur – Buried (2010) – MovieRob (Encore Review)

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Latin Directors, here’s a review my first of two reviews.  This time I review Buried (2010).

Thanks again to Anna of Film Grimoire for choosing this month’s genre.

Next month’s Genre has been chosen by James of Back to the Viewer.  We will be reviewing our favorite movies featuring a dystopian world (past or future). Please get me your submissions by 25th April by sending them to dystopia@movierob.net  Try to think out of the box! Great choice James!

Let’s see what I thought of this movie

 “I’m buried in a box. I’m buried in a box! ” – Paul Conroy

Number of Times Seen – 3 (8 Feb 2011, 26 Nov 2013 and 25 Mar 2015)

Link to original review – Here

Brief Synopsis – An American truck driver in Iraq wakes up locked in a coffin underground with only a cellphone and a lighter.  He has two hours to find out how to get out before he suffocates.

My Take on it – I have always enjoyed minimalistic movies where everything mostly happens in one place with just a few actors because they are the perfect forum to see actors at their best.

Ryan Reynolds is amazing here.  He is the only character we get to see throughout the entire film. There are no flashbacks, and all phone conversations only allow us to hear (and not see) the person on the other end. We get to see his emotions and can see his reaction because the camera is also centered n him.

As the minutes tick by, we feel his claustrophobia and his fear that he may not be rescued.

While watching his ordeal, the camera work is done so well that it truly makes us empathize with his character and the walls feel as if they are closing in little by little on us.

Because everything is only seen thru the reactions of Reynolds, we only know what he knows and we get as frustrated as he does while trying to find some way to get out alive.

They need to make more movies this thrilling and captivating!

Bottom Line – Amazing thriller done entirely with one actor in one location…a coffin.  We can feel his claustrophobia and his fear and frustrations more and more as the minutes tick away.  Reynolds is amazing here.  Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia –  Ryan Reynolds is the only person we see in the flesh. All of the other performances are either voice overs or recorded on his cell phone. The whole film is shot from the interior of the coffin. We never see the outside world. The film never repeats a single shot. These all make Buried (2010) one of the most minimalist films ever made. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (no change from original review)

______________________________________

Check out my *updated* movie stats here

To see my reviews of Oscar Winning Performances check out this link

To see my reviews of all Oscar Best Picture Winners click here (now complete)

Here is a link to my movie index A-Z