Image copyright © by Marcus Trahan


(Spain/USA/France, 2010)

Here is probably the ultimate claustrophobic movie. I recently watched Lebanon, which took place entirely inside an Israeli tank; this one takes place in a coffin buried somewhere in the Middle East. Ryan Reynolds is a truck driver who was kidnapped and knocked out. When he wakes up he finds he is buried in a coffin with nothing but a Zippo, a cell phone, and a light stick. The kidnappers are demanding millions of dollars from the US to reveal his location. The cast list has 15 names, but Reynolds is the only one we ever see, the rest are voices on the phone. I’m sure it was a hell of a challenge filming this, and it took some ingenious tricks by the cameraman to get different angles. It happens pretty much in real time. The tension builds relentlessly. I don’t know how much oxygen is in a coffin like that, but I was dubious he could survive as long as he did. I found myself, every time he lit the Zippo, wanting to blow it out. “Use the cell phone light or the stick, you fool!” But I’m sure I wouldn’t have behaved any better in his situation. In fact, after wetting my pants, I think I would have just curled up and whimpered my way … well, into the grave.