BURIED (15) 95min

Starring: Ryan Reynolds

I DON’T mind admitting that my reaction when I saw the trailer for this film was ‘That’s one movie I won’t be watching’.

And yet, a few weeks later and I’m watching one of the most gripping and powerful films this year. Luckily, I heard someone enthuse about it.

The trailer gives the impression this is a horror movie - it is only in the context of the situation Reynolds’ character finds himself in.

For most of us, waking up to find ourselves in a wooden box buried in the ground is probably our worst nightmare.

It certainly is for Paul Conroy (Reynolds), a US truck driver in Iraq who is faced with that predicament.

With a limited air supply and just a cellphone and pencil, Conroy has to use all his ingenuity to find a way out of the coffin.

In many directors’ hands this would end up a simple thriller, but Cortes and his crew have produced a masterpiece with superb camera work, a very poignant script and a top-class performance from the only actor to physically appear in the film.

Apparently, Reynolds suffered for his art, with some singed fingers from holding the Zippo lighter and bumps and scrapes from acting in the very confined box.

But it’s all worth it and if there’s any justice in the film business he should be up for an Oscar nomination - there isn’t so he probably won’t.

What is more likely to happen is that word will get round about Buried and it will become a cult classic.

But don’t wait until that happens - see it on the big screen and watch how to get the best out of limited resources but massive amounts of talent.

five out of five stars

Steve Payne