Review of Buried (2010) by Jin M — 08 Jan 2012

Set in nothing more than a six-foot, wooden coffin and practically displaying only a single actor (Ryan Reynolds skillfully interpreting the role of Paul Conroy), "Buried" astonishes in its ability to suffocate us into painfully and helplessly observing whilst simultaneously suffering through the protagonist `s claustrophobic plight.

The ingenious camerawork, which visually attempts to emulate someone trying to navigate through a bone-crushingly minuscule space, is inarguably the sine qua non factor that further tightens the grip on our utterly constricted necks to further exacerbate our asphyxiating state.

As time slowly and pain-achingly crawls by, we become even more attached and compassionate towards the innocent character of Paul Conroy (a humble truck driver who works strenuously to sustain his family in Michigan), which makes it all the more difficult to endure watching until the very end.

Additionally, "Buried" also sends out a critical message regarding the structure that supports our society: egocentrism is the powerhouse of most social interactions. Through a series of frustrating phone calls - especially by a most repulsive interview by Paul Conroy`s staff manager at CRT as he attempts to despicably save expenses relating to any of Paul`s potential injuries via voice recording - Rodrigo Cortes (director) emphatically communicates that most of our relationships or social interactions do not possess the necessary depth to save us from adversity.

Most will not even scratch the surface. Overall, "Buried" successfully produces an abundance of meaningful concepts and electrifying emotions amidst a disproportionately small premise.