Geeks on Film: Buried Review & Ticket Giveaway!
Buried will hopefully be Ryan Reynolds’ I Am Legend. Because make no mistake, the only thing on that screen for the entire 100 minutes is Ryan Reynolds in a dark box acting his ass off like I always knew he could. We have all grown to love him as the consummate smart-ass in countless films, but it has always kinda been the same character over and over again… until now.
As soon as the credits start to roll you can already tell this isn’t your typical ride. The story of Buried is essentially this: Ryan plays Paul Conroy, a truck driver in Iraq whose convoy is ambushed while delivering supplies, and we begin the film with him waking up and buried alive and being held hostage by his ambushers. The film does a great job keeping the political rhetoric to a minimum and focusing on Paul Conroy’s story instead of turning it into an hour and a half anti-war statement. Inside the box Paul has 90 minutes of oxygen, a Blackberry, a lighter and a flask and is challenged by his captors to come up with 5 million dollars or they will leave him to simply die in the dessert.
Why doesn’t he just call for help? Well he does, and we are confronted with the grim reality of what happens in Paul’s situation. Here the Blackberry fast becomes the supporting character in the film and the crux of telling a story of a man in a box alone. It’s almost like a subterranean Phonebooth, just better acted, sorry Bulls-Eye… I mean Colin.
Really, the phone is almost masterfully used in the film, detailing the story of what happened before Ryan ended up in the box throughout the film. We see Ryan really show his chops in these cell conversations where he has no one to act off of and has to sell both sides of a conversation, since you can only hear and not see the person on the other end. While the Reynold wit is completely in tact we also see the man has a pretty dynamic range when tapped by the proper director.
Read on to learn how you can win passes to see the film, as well as a mini LED flashlight from Lionsgate!
The cinematography in this film is best described as claustrophobic and uncomfortable to say the least. The camera never leaves the box, and visually they mange to keep you invested the entire film. I think the sound design could have even heightened the effect a bit more, but wasn’t used to the fullest, which would be my only nitpick.
So with that in mind if you are really freaked out by any of the above, this may not be the film for you. I don’t want to get too heavy into spoilers except to say this is a very risky film for both story and concept and it was pulled off in spades. I can honestly say when I heard it was Ryan Reynolds alone on screen for an hour and half I was a bit nervous walking in, but an hour in I was still in my seat wondering what was going to happen next and if he was ever going to get out of the box.
Buried is not your traditional horror film. It manages to lead a double life as an art film, but the dread, claustrophobia and fear is all there and it is not easy to watch. I really hope Hollywood sees this film and gives Ryan Reynolds the respect he deserves after that performance, because any lesser actor probably could not have pulled that film off. With that in mind I give buried a solid 4 stars for trying something different and really succeeding. I honestly will be looking forward to this director’s next film.
If you want to see the film and win a Buried LED flashlight from Lionsgate films simply comment with what your greatest fear is, I have 5 passes for 2 which you can use at any time and at any screening and 5 mini flashlights to give away so comment away and check this great flick out!
Greatest Fear: Fear itself.
greatest fear: charmander.
also: spiders
Greatest fear: Going insane but still knowing I was, but not being able to do anything about it.
Second greatest: Clowns. Especially sad clowns. What twisted person would want to be a sad clown? I wonder if sad clowns only have sad clown friends. Very sad.
President Palin. ‘Nuff said?
My greatest fear: that people will know I spend a good portion of my work day reading Geekadephia.
My greatest fear is not being remembered.
To start I have pretty bad arachnophobia. I can’t even see one on tv without cringing and having he feeling that they’re on me.
But I’d say my worst fear in life is that I will not like whatever I ultimately end up doing for a career. I think about it every day and the thousands of things I want to do in life. I’m constantly changing mind in fear of regretting my decision. Until I find something that I love and know I can do until retirement, (which will probably be at 80) then my mind will constantly race about whatever I’m doing at the time for work.
We’re starting to get a littler personal with these questions, aren’t we?
Very well, I’ll bite… but I expect to see you, Dan, comment here to your article and tell us a bit about your own fear or fears of note…
My own most nagging fear is unfortunately nothing unique, nor even anything very exciting – I’m a casebook acrophobic. I absolutely lose my mind on ladders, high staircases, anytime I’m not standing on terra firma.
This becomes slightly interesting when one realizes that I do a LOT of work up on ladders in my company. I’m constantly on rooftops adjusting DIRECTV dishes, or hanging plasma TVs over sports bars, suspending from truss rigging to adjust a light focus… I spend a good 1/4 of my working time up high in the air either holding something heavy, or doing precision wire termination… not fun! It’s a constant hobgoblin, and my employees do get a kick out of seeing me shake and shiver while climbing up or down. I try to be a good sport about it, you know?
I also have an insane love of rollercoasters. Whereas most people are frightened of the crazy downhills and loops, I combine my fear of heights with my knowledge of engineering for the exact opposite effect – my non-rational brain is screaming at me during the entire slow uphill that “Oh My Gods I’m Going To Die”, but once the downhill starts, my fear lets go and I throw my hands in the air, trusting the machinery, and have a grand time!
My greatest fear is definitely letting my little sister drive whenever i go home. There is nothing scarier than a 16 year old driving through the city after having her learners permit for only a few weeks……..especially when she needs to be my designated driver. The seats in that car may as well be covered in plastic.
i have an extreme fear of drowning or freezing to death. i feel like those would be the worst ways to go. but being buried alive would be pretty brutal too.
I have a bit of that Psycho-style fear of getting attacked in the shower out of nowhere.
Greatest fear is falling out of an airplane without a parachute.
My greatest fear is someone breaking into my home. It’s not just a fear for me it’s a fear that everyone who lives with me will be in danger.
Spiders. Hands down.
My greatest fear is that one day, I’ll accidentally brush my teeth with my shaving razor instead of my toothbrush.
Greatest fear: Chucky, just something about that creepy little redheaded doll makes me wanna crawl into the fetal position and cry o.0
in the dark
in a small room
bugs
dark
worm
My greatest fear? Losing love. Being fully emotionally invested in a relationship with someone else, and having it end, for whatever reason.
…That, and having to admit to paying money to look at Ryan Reynolds in a box for an hour and a half. Free tickets wooo!
My greatest fear is immortality. To see everyone I love die and lose the ability to communicate with those that are still alive, being a man out of his time.
My greatest fear is being kidnapped and tortured.
luckysluna(at)yahoo(dot)com
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