Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intense buried-alive thriller may be too grueling for most.
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Buried
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Parents say this film is an intense and disturbing thriller centered on a man buried alive, offering a gripping yet claustrophobic experience. While the performances, particularly by Ryan Reynolds, are well-regarded, many reviewers recommend it for older teens and adults due to its strong language and overall unsettling themes.
- intensity
- strong language
- not for kids
- claustrophobic experience
- recommended for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 10 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is a non-military contractor driving a truck in Iraq, circa 2006. He wakes up in total darkness, shocked to discover that he's in a coffin, apparently buried alive somewhere in the Iraqi desert. He has a cigarette lighter and a flask, and he has been given a cell phone, a flashlight, and a couple of glow sticks. He begins calling anyone he can think of for help, all the while fighting an endless array of troubles -- mainly the ever-diminishing air supply inside the coffin, but also a snake attack, a cave-in, and the horrible, horrible panic that won't ever completely go away...
Is It Any Good?
Spanish director/editor Rodrigo Cortés makes an impressive U.S. debut from a tightly crafted, classically thrilling script by Chris Sparling. The idea of staying entirely inside the coffin for a full movie is a huge challenge, and the filmmakers have mounted it admirably; they reveal information a little at a time, provide an emotional ebb and flow (with essential rest periods for the audience), and ramp it up when the time is right.
This, it goes without saying, sets the stage for a tour-de-force one-man show, and Reynolds makes it his own; it's a superb performance, possibly Oscar-worthy. Overall, Buried is an astonishing, even daring achievement. The major problem is that it plays into a deep, basic human fear, and most viewers may not want to put themselves through it. In other words, it's a very, very good film, but it's difficult to recommend.
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Movie Details
- In theaters : September 24, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : January 18, 2011
- Cast : Ryan Reynolds , Samantha Mathis , Stephen Tobolowsky
- Director : Rodrigo Cortes
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and some violent content
- Last updated : July 12, 2022
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