Despite his numerous accolades in various roles, Ryan Reynolds arguably gave one of his best performances in Buried, a 14-year-old mystery thriller which has 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. Originally gaining recognition in comedies, particularly in the rom-com genre, in recent years, Reynolds is known for his roles in action movies and for playing the notorious Marvel character, Deadpool. Therefore, with a skillset for delivering highly intense roles, it comes as no surprise that one of Ryan Reynold’s best performances is in an English-language Spanish survival movie which released in 2010, just one year after his original Deadpool debut.
The years eclipsing 2010 were rather interesting for Reynolds, as they contain his most famous roles; X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released in 2009 alongside The Proposal, and Reynolds played the titular character in Green Lantern in 2011. Reynolds gained notoriety as an action and comedy star, and has since broken records with MCU’s Deadpool & Wolverine, with plans for a new non-Marvel movie involving Reynolds’ co-star Hugh Jackman. Yet, among these various famous films, 2010’s Buried seemed to be an underrated movie performance from the actor, as the comic book roles overshadowed the highly-rated mystery thriller.
Ryan Reynolds Plays A Man Trapped In A Coffin For The Whole Movie In Buried
Buried Was Brilliantly Filmed & Featured Ryan Reynolds
Buried follows an American civilian called Paul Conroy (Reynolds) who is trapped inside a coffin for the entire movie. While working in Iraq, Conroy wakes to find himself buried inside a coffin, equipped with only a lighter and a phone. As he remembers the events that led him to this situation — an ambush by terrorists who knocked him unconscious with a rock — a call from his kidnapper, Jabir, demands a $5 million ransom, or he will be left to die. Reynolds received a great response for his performance and the movie stands out for being filmed in one location.
The 2010 Ryan Reynolds film is arguably one of the best Spanish movies filmed in English due to its intense premise and masterful filming techniques. The entire story is set inside a coffin and only features one character on-screen: Conroy. Therefore, all the action depends on Reynolds’ performance inside, making for an intimate and emotional story. Buried’s home movie release featured an interesting making-of video that describes the different coffins constructed to film various angles, with no shot seemingly being shown twice, showcasing the extremely thoughtful process in making Buried interesting, despite being shot in a rather claustrophobic location.
Ryan Reynolds Gives One Of His Strongest Performances In Buried
Reynolds Couldn’t Rely On Visuals Or Other Characters
Produced on a $2 million budget, Buried grossed $21.3 million at the box office, making it a success, but nowhere near enough to be considered particularly notable. This is unfortunate, as the movie was positively received by critics for its clever storytelling and Reynolds’ strong performance. With no other characters or visuals to rely on, Reynolds had to deliver something convincing and captivating to keep viewers interested in the movie. With Reynolds’ reputation for comedy and action, his performance in this movie changes people’s minds about the actor, as Buried demonstrates a clear ability for more emotional roles.
Interestingly, Reynolds claimed that he suffered claustrophobia towards the end of filming
Buried
, saying that it was “
unlike anything I experienced in my life, and I never ever want to experience that again.
”
Ryan Reynolds has no doubt had more successful parts, but Buried seems to be overlooked. The fact that the camera never leaves the coffin makes the movie experience even more intimate and almost realistic as the audience lives Conroy’s claustrophobic nightmare in real-time. Conroy’s slow-burn death inside the coffin as he desperately tries to contact people on the other side makes the ending emotionally devastating. The movie quite literally relies on Ryan Reynolds’ performance alone to drive the narrative, and with an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, clearly Buried holds its own.
Buried is a thriller film starring Ryan Reynolds by director Rodrigo Cortes. The film follows Reynolds as Paul Conroy, an Iraq-based American trucker who is attacked by a group of Iraqi insurgents, only to wake up and find he is now buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter, a pen, and his cell phone, Paul must find a way to reach the outside world and stay alive long enough for the government to rescue him.
- Director
- Rodrigo Cortés
- Release Date
- September 24, 2010
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros Pictures
- Runtime
- 95 minutes
