When you hear about a film that takes place entirely within one location that may feel pretty intimate, you’re going to get to know everything about that location and everyone in it… how about when the whole film takes place within a coffin with one guy buried inside? Claustrophobic? Does the film hop the hurdles of making its audience uncomfortable with just the setting alone or does it lack the breathing room?
Film ![]()
It can’t be easy setting an entire movie in one location in real time… adding in the fact that this location is six feet under front and is a coffin simply adds to the complexity of things. Ryan Reynolds plays a trucker who has been kidnap by a terrorist group that ambushed his route and is being held for ransom. His captors bury him deep in the ground with only a zippo lighter, a cell phone and couple things in his pocket.
The film is directed by Rodrigo Cortés his very unique visual style doesn’t have much room to really flex but when it gets a chance you really get a taste at how innovative Cortés is when you get a long dolly shot… underground… There are some nice shots in this movie to say the least and it is well framed, giving the viewer a good sense of claustrophobia. I was watching this film with a friend who decided right away this flick wasn’t his cup of tea, upon a conversation it turns out that the reason he didn’t like it was because he was uncomfortable. The film is able illicit fear and discomfort within its audience based on the opening shot alone… That’s well done in my book.
Ryan Reynolds does a great job carrying the film and manages to relieve situations with a bit of humor and at the same time can pull on the heart strings when a pivotal and emotional scene plays out. Often Reynolds plays cocky wise-cracking characters, none more annoying than the villain Deadpool in the worst super-hero movie of all time, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but here he gives a more mature and realistic character that suits him fine. This is one of his best performances and proves that he has range.
Buried is a very exciting, edge of your seat kind of thriller and should entertain or perhaps deter the casual viewers. If you want to try something new and experience a story told in a very unique way then this film is for you.
Video ![]()
Buried’s video is displayed using the AVC MPEG-4 in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The film obviously has is going to deal with having an image that is very low lit, but it really makes the most of the fact that is lit with a cellphone backlight and a zippo lighter.
The colors of the film are very saturated due to the dark contrasted image, we’re given a mix of amber yellow when the Paul is using his zippo to light the coffin and a teal blue cast when the cellphone is in use. The palette of the film is obviously based off of those light sources so trying to get an authentic skin tone or grade to the film is moot.
The black levels are crushed so we lose a lot of the detail within the shadows however the benefit is the texture and detail in the highlights are apparent and detailed. The film is free of any dirt or scratches and the grain manages to stay at a pleasant level without being distracting.
Audio ![]()
Buried’s audio comes at us using DTS-HD Master audio in 7.1 which is awesome in creating a truly claustrophobic and atmospheric mix that surrounds and immerses us within the film. I would’ve loved to see a 9.1 mix for this film just to see how they could’ve included the height speakers, but I’m just happy to see another 7.1 mix.
The dialogue is front and centered while all the creaks of the box surrounds us and the surrounding environment really sneaks in and gives you the general feeling of being encased in the box with Ryan Reynolds.
The low frequency range of the mix really gets its love within the score when it hits the peaks, but also during some sound effects that occur throughout the film… without giving anything away the subtle use of LFE is contrasted by a few booms.
Special Features ![]()
The only real extra is “Unearthing Buried” which is a behind-the-scenes featurette, which is unfortunately in SD. However the extra covers some of the interesting filming techniques used to tackle filming in one of the tightest sets you’re bound to find in a movie. Peppered with a few EPK style interviews with Ryan Reynolds and Rodrigo Cortés this featurette does its job and manages to be pretty insightful. There’s also a HD trailer of the film but that really doesn’t count.
Final Thoughts
I’m going to say that the overall theme with this Blu-ray is the amount of hurdles it goes over, with a film that deals with an unnerving premise and is approached with a visceral disregard to the audience’s comfort; it’s safe to say that the movie manages to pull through with its unique way of getting the story across. Even on a technical level, with a movie that’s lit with a cellphone and sounds that are muffled through dirt and sand, we’re still given a great presentation to enjoy this film… Or better yet, to be trapped by this film. Give it a spin!
