Something about.. Buried

I was very intrigued by Buried. An entire film based solely in a coffin buried underground. It was as simple as the title implied.

Sitting down to watch the film we decided surely it must include flashbacks or scenes outside the coffin - we gradually realised that we were wrong. The entire film resides inside the dark, cramped coffin in poor lighting, with only Ryan Reynolds holding the viewers attention. Luckily for the film, he does this very well. Not only is Reynolds very nice to look at for two hours, but he also steps outside his usual lead man and love interest role and performs well as a frightened and confused solo character.

The director does well to create tension and build suspense, and uses small problems and issues to develop the storyline. The use of light and music are very strong - good considering there isn't much else going on. And Reynolds should be applauded for his performance.

The simple use of voices on the other end of the phone enables the creators to bring in a few other characters, and despite my initial assumptions I am glad they didn't rely on flashbacks or other scenes to build the plot.

Buried isn't anything to be shouted about. The storyline is minimal, and there isn't huge amounts to keep the audience's attention. It's not everybody's cup of tea, but it was at least a little different. And certainly ambitious.

The creators have taken a risk with Buried, and although it won't pay off with award nominations or record-breaking box office ratings, it did expose many cinema goers to something a little out of the ordinary. Something which proves it's not all about million dollar budgets, hours of special effects, or a 20-strong cast of A-list actors.

Sometimes all you need is a good-looking capable actor buried in a box six-feet under with a lighter and a mobile phone.