Psychologist Margaret Matheson and her assistant study paranormal activity, which leads them to investigate a world-renowned psychic who has resurfaced years after his toughest critic mysteriously passed away.
Directed: Rodrigo Cortés
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro and Cillian Murphy
What we think: Rodrigo Cortés managed to deliver tension for ninety minutes inside a six-foot box with Buried, here on a much bigger canvas he doesn’t take that same opportunity.
Margaret Matheson (Weaver) and Tom Buckley (Murphy) a psychologist and physicist respectively, team up on a regular basis to debunk and investigate potential paranormal activity, all of which are proved fraudulent.
When Simon Silver (De Niro) a world famous blind psychic turns up after a rather long lay off, suspicions are raised if he is actually genuine. Against the strong reservations of Matheson, Buckley pursues to uncover the truth.
The opening of the film which sees the pair keep careful watch over a seance in progress is an early highlight as Cortés sets the mood with bangs and raising tables making it a jolting start. However its there that the film seems to take a slight decline.
It seems to move into more of a scientific approach leaving behind any major scares.
After Matheson and Buckley, complete with enough technical kit to uncover even the most top secret of clandestine discussions, defraud another psychic, Palladino (Leonardo Sbaraglia) it paves the way for Buckley to really have a go at doing the same to Silver.
The cast are decent enough, Weaver is used to playing strong willed characters, but here she seems withdrawn and nervous portraying a much weaker personality hiding behind her comatose son, a back story merely touched on.
Murphy carries himself well throughout and De Niro, while powerful in certain scenes, just appears to be turning up to take a pay cheque. As for Elizabeth Olsen she offered little to nothing throughout the proceedings.
With Buried Cortés simply directed, here he does it all including writing the script and editing, which was probably his biggest mistake. Handing that role to someone else might have cut through some of the dullness and injected it with real edge of your seat terror.
Described on the poster as ‘this year’s Sixth Sense’ it lacks any major scares credible to that of M. Night Shyamalan, and the twist is drawn out to the last possible second. If you were eagle eyed enough to spot it, then well done, or maybe you’re just psychic.
View the trailer
Rating:
(3/5)
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