StevenC428

This film was released sometime in 2001 but I only came across it two years ago. My guess is that this film probably didn't receive as much advertising as it deserved.

My first impression of the film was that it was a chick flick, but that didn't really matter because I have found some chick flicks actually amusing (for example: P.S. I Love You). Besides that, the story follows Beverly Donofrio who, as a child, knew exactly what she wanted to do in her future until an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 15 put her life in a hault.

Drew Barrymore really is a talented actress. She is probably the most charming and easiest-to-relate-to actress in today's Hollywood. There's something about her upbeat and charismatic personality that made her so easy to love in this movie. She truly made this movie a hit and I don't think anyone could have played the role of Beverly Donofrio like she did. What impressed me the most was how she carried this movie on her own throughout and I haven't seen many actresses achieve that recognition (most notable is probably Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich). Also, Brittany Murphy was a great addition to the cast and the chemistry between Barrymore and Murphy was brilliant.

The story itself is depressing and happy. It's really hard to explain. I couldn't decide whether or not it was a good thing she got pregnant at such a young age or it was a complete mistake that ruined her whole entire life. I guess it's something you would have to guess on your own while wathcing it. I liked how the film showed Beverly grow from a young confident girl to a more mature and confused individual.

I personally enjoyed this film but I'm not sure how other guys would feel watching. It is a touching film that really gets sad at certain points.

My Rating: 6/10

Watch It or Miss It: WATCH IT!

First and foremost, Elisha Cuthbert must have been drunk when she chose to play a role in this movie because this movie was just down-right horrible.

The movie basically follows the story of a successful yet lonely women who gets kidnapped and held captive in a cellar where she gets tortured. Good premise...awful movie.

Here is the problem with this movie...it is a complete rip-off of Saw! The movie tries so hard to gross us out that in the end, you just can't help but laugh at the situation that the kidnapper is putting her in. The weird part about it is that just when you thought Elisha's character had finally died at the end of every torture scene, you find her awake again in the same room and you realize that this guy is only playing some type of mind game.

While locked in the cellar, she meets another man (played by Daniel Gillies) who has also been kidnapped. The strangest part of this movie is how, even though they are being held captive and are possibly about to die at any moment; both characters still find time to fall in love with each other. (this of course would not happen in real life) The ending was just stupid. It was supposed to be a twist but I knew half an hour into the movie what was going to happen. Other than the acting, the movie really has nothing going for it.

Rating: 2.5/10 Watch It or Miss It: MISS IT!

'Buried Alive' seems too-good of a title to be placed on this piece of garbage. The cover art; though cheesy and unrealistic, actually looks half decent compared to the movie. The logo 'Dimension Extreme' is placed on top of the cover as if the film was somewhat 'too extreme or intense' to be shown in theaters.

I have lost a lot of interest in Dimension Extreme films mostly because they release films like this. 'Buried Alive' is a failed attempt to bring back a once promising genre (horror) and revive it into something new.

The main problem I had with this film is that it never truly finds itself a climax or a theme. It doesn't decide whether its a witchery film, a slasher flick, or a spiritual horror movie. I'm not saying that all horror films need to set one theme, but when the story gets so confusing and the plot gets all twisted up into nonsense, you kind of need a set theme to rely on. The movie tries to save itself by bringing up some foreign Indian voodoo symbolism story but by then, you realize that the movie just got too ridiculous to continue watching.

The poor acting did not help the movie either. The best performances were probably by Steve Sandvoss and Lindsey Scott. They both made their characters presentable and easy to understand, specifically Lindsey Scott's character who I found humorous and enjoyable. As for Tobin Bell, he played the dirty Lester character fairly well but my main issue with him is that we are so used to seeing him as the man behind Jigsaw that he ultimately fails in bringing a new character into life. All other actor's screwed up in some way or form. Their acting was really poor (mhmm...Leah Rachel) and it was hard for me to have any sympathy for them when they got butchered by the old ugly witch.

The gore and screams were minimum. I felt that the movie took way to long to explain the story that it waited till the very end to give us the blood-thirsty gore (which wasn't much to have been waiting for). The old witch that was killing everyone off was ridiculously stupid and did not even scare me one bit.

All in all, this is the typical stereotype horror film that doesn't offer anything new to the horror genre. It's a pathetic attempt and in the end, we're left with a horrible ending that does not resolve anything. I am being generous by giving it a 2 star rating, but thats only because of the two all-stars of the film.

Buried Alive: 2/10

Watch It or Miss It: MISS IT!