Interesting movie. I appreciate Ryan Reynolds as an actor, not just for his abs. I also appreciate that despite some hits and misses film-wise, he seems to be constantly trying to expand his talents. This is a film that definitely tests his acting chops, which is a feat unto its own as he is essentially the only actor.
Buried is a feature film length narrative that explores the confines of a box buried in the earth and the man contained therein. You would wonder if a movie that is 90 min plus can be captivating when essentially you as the audience are trapped in the box as well. And rightfully so; the narrative is essentially divided into 3 chunks or segments marked by blackouts. The first segment finds our protagonist waking into his nightmarish confines. The second chunk deals with the essence of hope and frustration. The third is realization and despair. That's all without spoiling anything. There are many more themes explored and you will keep wondering to the end if our hapless hero will escape. Sounds titillating right?
Well yes and no. The film is engrossing and Ryan Reynolds holds his own under the weight ofit all. My problem is that for such a simplistic premise, there are a few too many narrative threads introduced. Some were just a little too ridiculous and if anything detracted from the overall tone. The premise of a man trapped in a coffin is sufficient enough to be claustrophobic and tense, that tangents about insurance coverage, infidelity are not necessary. If anything it is confusing. Are we supposed to be morally conflicted about this character, think he deserves his fate? To what end does that serve? You have a man confined in a box, the intrigue between conversations with his captors, efforts to reach loved ones, andhoping against hope to be found before air runs out (or worse) are more than enough to hold hus captive.
The good: Ryan Reynolds. Those who are naysayers about him should definitely watch this. The film for about 80% was great. The ending as well, is commendable but only 50/50 on great or excessive.
The bad: the agency rep conversation, the snake, the potentially contrived way of getting to the end. Mark White.
Final thoughts: Great little film to really showcase the fact you don't need elaborate sets and narratives to have a thriller. That being said it still is best ranked as a must-see once and not warranting repetition.
Add to the vault: Nah. I may watch it again in the future, but I don't feel the need to own it. Definitely check it out though.
You know what it reminds me of? Castaway. Few actors have ever been able to carry a movie mostly solo. Hanks did it, Franco did it in 127 hours (which, imo, was the superior of the 2 movies when you compare that to this), and I feel like Will Smith did an admirable job of carrying most of I Am Legend solo. IMO, this is the hardest sort of role, and you're right. It certainly will serve to shut up the detractors. I had this movie spoiled for me before I saw it, though. That was a serious bummer.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with the comparison to 127 hours. Which I reluctantly agree is the better film despite how much Franco irritates me as a person. I am Legend was great up until Will Smith was caught in the snare, then the film derailed quickly. I actually just watched this the other day too.
DeleteCastaway I am hesitant to add to the comparison, though it is easy to see how they could be compared, but shipwrecked survivors on an island can almost be a genre unto itself, and didn't explore as much territory in the same time frame as 127 hours and Buried did.
To have the ending to buried would suck big time, as the whole "will he or won't he make it" is half of the driving force behind the narrative.